


Oh, What a World

by lovingdriver



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Adam Driver - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Daisy Ridley - Freeform, Dark Reylo, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Kelly Marie Tran - Freeform, M/M, Modern AU Reylo, Reylo - Freeform, Reylo AU Week, Reylo Modern AU, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Soft Ben Solo, Star Wars - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:01:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22742158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovingdriver/pseuds/lovingdriver
Summary: Rey Johnson, an up-and-coming romance screenplay writer, finally scores her first movie deal with First Order Entertainment. She casts Ben Solo, one of the most popular actors to date, as the lead. He's cocky and arrogant, which is everything Rey can't stand. Rey is too controlling and doesn't know when to stop, which Ben can't stand. These two butt heads over everything; but what if under the right circumstances, that changed?
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 31
Kudos: 91
Collections: Reylo, Reylo modern!AU trash





	1. Welcome to the Team

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I'm so excited about this AU. I'm really happy to have you all on this ride with me! I'll be updating pretty regularly, mainly because this is part of my Fiction Writing in Romance class term assignment. Be prepared to lots of content!!
> 
> I hope you all love this as much as I do. See you soon!
> 
> xo's- Lizzie

_“Ow, fuck!”_

Rey snapped her finger back in frustration, her nail getting caught on the keyboard of her laptop for the umpteenth time. She knew it was time to trim them, the polish was chipping off at the sides and the length made everything harder than it needed to be. The truth is Rey was totally isolated to the world around her. She’d been locked in her studio apartment for days, trying to finish this screenplay that’s been controlling her mind for months. Loud cars and screaming tourists, a staple for the Financial District of New York City, normally clobbered her ears. However, she barely noticed her surroundings when she worked. Writing came so natural to her and there was never a time that she felt unsure about her creations, but damn she was nervous. This meeting with First Order Entertainment was something Rey had only dreamed of since she was a kid, and the pressure that came with it was stressing her out. This wasn’t new, these feelings were something she knew all too well from her years at University. Rey somehow managed to graduate top of her class with her Film Studies degree, but the hair she lost and sleep she never got during the process was something that caused her migraines to this day.

This screenplay was her baby. Rey had been working on it day and night, trying to perfect each word and the period that followed them. She’d written little things here and there for school, but nothing of this scale. Her first real romance story was beaming at her face from the screen, and the thought of getting to share it with others made her heart beat through her chest.

 _“Only 27 pages left, Rey. You have this whole thing mapped out. You GOT this.”_ She thought to herself. It’s true, Rey had been dreaming of this story since she was 16. The original idea stemmed from one of her frivolous breakups in high school. Rey was known for having unrealistically high expectations, probably from reading one too many Charlotte Brontë novels. So, when her sophomore year boyfriend dumped her for her best friend, she crafted the perfect tale using just the napkin her mom packed in her lunch and a pencil she found on the floor by the Science Hall’s bathroom. Boy meets girl, girl falls in love, boy says he doesn’t feel the same, girl gets her heartbroken, the usual- but without the cheesy ending. Rey craved those classic twists, the kind that made you shut the book and close your eyes in attempt to take in what you just read. So, when she decided she was going to write romance stories, she committed to a writing technique only mastered by those with just the right jacked-up sense of passion.

_Happily, never after._

Rey never wanted her characters to end up together. Yes, she was a hopeless romantic and dreamed of starting a family with the man of her dreams. Yes, she craved the kind of love that kept you awake at night and made the stars shine with a newfound twinkle. Of course, she wanted a guy to sweep her off her feet and show her the world, but Rey knew that just wasn’t realistic. In her 22 years of life, she’d never seen love in the way she wanted too. Her parents divorced shortly after she turned 7, and ever since she hoped for someone to show her what love really was. The books she threw herself into only raised her standards to impossible levels, and deep down she knew no one would be able to reach them. So, instead of wallowing in her own self-pity, she wrote the love stories that she craved so much; but infused them with just the right amount of heartbreak and self-discovery that left her content with the impact they’d have on the world around her. And boy was Rey proud of this one, a piece that got raving reviews from her peers. _Oh, What a World_ , she called it. The couple, Carson Roth and Spencer Clare, were star-crossed lovers whose lives were so drastically different from each other. Carson, an ambitious businesswoman who never settled for less than perfection, falls for Spencer, a snarky, hot headed author with no self-control and a bad habit of fucking anything with legs within a 5-mile radius. It sounds cliché, which is what Rey loved. She loved the idea of sucking a reader in with what sounds like your typical love story and twisting it into something much stronger, almost painful. These tactics is what inspired the end of her story, Spencer betraying Carson by cheating on her with her best friend. Rey saw a lot of herself in Carson, a woman stripped to the bone by the soul-crushing acts of others. But she also saw herself in Spencer, so hopelessly wrapped in his own issues and self-doubts that he doesn’t realize he’s hurting the ones he cares for the most. It didn’t take long for Rey to decide that Carson and Spencer weren’t end game and spent most of her free time planning Carson’s comeback story. She’d buy the publishing company Spencer worked for to show him who’s boss, make some kick ass girlfriends and have a cool monologue right before the credits where she discovers how strong she really is, and runs off into the sunset with nothing but self-confidence and money in the bank.

It sounded awful, but it was the way Rey wrote it. She knew how to combine emotions and the acts that are caused by them, and she knew exactly how to intertwine them, making something magical. She was so confident in this story and knew that the board of FOE would love it as well.

Rey’s eyes snap from the screen at the sound of her apartment door flying open, her best friend Rose flying through the room at an alarming rate. “Please don’t forget to shut the door this time!” Rey yelped, watching as Rose rolled her eyes and pushed it closed behind her. “You know,” Rose started, kicking her heels off into the corner. “You’re a real bitch when you write. Do I need to get you a glass of wine? Or a dick to ride? Or both?” As hard as Rey tried, her best friend knew exactly how to push her buttons and get away with it. She wasn’t totally wrong, both wine and sex sounded glorious right now, and maybe one of them would help eradicate the knot forming in between Rey’s shoulder blades.

“There’s Pinot Grigio in the fridge, but I can’t help you with the dick part. The male species is disappointing, you of all people should know that.” Rose sighed, her head spinning around in the direction of the kitchen. “You’re lucky I had such a long day at work today or I’d have a perfectly snarky come back for you. My brain has handled enough pointless conversation to last a lifetime.” Rey laughed at her complaint, standing up from her desk to make her way to the counters in front of the fridge. “Well, if that’s the case, what was the point in becoming a museum curator?” Rose shrugged, clinging the chilled wine to her chest for relief. She reached up to the cabinets with her free hand, snatching two glasses from the shelf. “Not sure, baby. The money is good, and my parents don’t call more than once a week now. You win some, you lose some.” Rey takes the now full glass from Rose’s hand, lifting it to her lips. The cool wine swirled around in her mouth, and her taste buds danced at the sweet yet tart flavor. Some called Rey a “Wine Connoisseur”, but in reality, good wine got her wasted the fastest, which is an activity Rey relished in.

“Are we getting drunk tonight? I’ll call Finn! I’m sure he’d love to join.” Rose asked with an obviously hopeful tone to her voice. Rey waved her fingers around to symbolize ‘no’, nodding her head in the direction of her desk. “My meeting with First Order is tomorrow, you know that. I have to finish revising the script and then write the last few pages.” Rose raised her eyebrow, confusion flooding her face. “You’re taking _Oh, What a World_ right?” Rey nods, taking another sip of her drink.

“But I thought you finished that, why are you still writing?”

“I did, but there’s always room for improvement. Plus, I changed the ending a bit.”

“Oh, are you finally going to let Carson murder Spencer in cold blood like we all wanted her too?”

“Ha-ha. Funny. No, there will be no murder, I’m just going to trash the whole ‘surprise pregnancy’ idea. Sounds a bit forced, doesn’t it?”

Rose nodded slowly, drinking the wine from the bottle instead of her glass. “A bit, but it’s understandable. If you trash it then the pregnancy, the ending would be profound. She could move on with nothing holding her back.”

Rey claps her hands together, standing from her seat. “That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. I’m going to get back to work, you mind ordering food for us?” Rose flashed her classic thumbs up, opening the counter drawer to flip through our growing stack of take-out menus. “Chinese sound good?” Rey throws a thumbs up back, booting her computer up again. “Pull me from my trance when the Kung-Pao chicken is here!”

“Sounds good, boss!”

* * *

Nothing could beat mornings in New York City, the chilled air that glossed down Rey’s spine would normally send a shiver through her, but the nerves she felt for her meeting left her a hot, sweaty mess. She allowed the hustle and bustle of the city to drown out her thoughts, but the closer she got to the First Order building, the more she felt as though she was going to vomit. Rey woke up at 5 this morning to shower, straighten her hair, harass a very hung-over Rose to do her makeup, and iron her best black pantsuit. The white trim framed her figure just right, and the nude heels she stole from Rose when she wasn’t looking took the look to a new level. Rey felt confident, but she’d be a monster if she wasn’t scared. Her dream was either going to become a reality or be crushed right from beneath her within the next 2 hours. She gulped at the thought, seeing the 75-story high rise building perched smack-dab in the Upper-East Side come into view. She stopped in front of it, hoping to memorize this exact moment so she could recite it in her memoir one day.

_One last deep breath. It’s go-time._

With one final glance at the city she called home, Rey joined the crowd of people flooding through the swirling door.

Once inside, she gasped at her surroundings. Rey had never seen a lobby of this pedigree before. The amount of money it must have taken to design this architectural wonder was beyond her. The glass elevators soared to the top of the building, a crystal clear waterfall fell between them, emptying out into an extravagant fountain which doubled as the companies logo, for those dumb enough to enter this building and have no idea where they were. The front desk sat in front, black marble and chic white trimming to finish it. The women taking the calls and ushering people in the right direction were beautiful, all dressed in designer clothes with hair perfectly pressed. It took an act of Jesus to get Rey out of her normal paint stained jeans, let alone the get up she was in now. She could only imagine having to dress this way every day. The black-haired woman at the far right of the desk must have seen her wandering eyes, her hand coming up to gesture Rey in her direction. Rey slid over as fast as her heels could take her, placing her purse on the counter. “Hi, I’m Rey Johnson. I’m here to see Mr. Dameron.” She nods, raising to her feet and walking around the corner of the desk. “I know you! I read the first couple pages of your rough draft. It looks amazing! I’m Jannah, Mr. Dameron’s production assistant. I was sent down to wait for you and here you are!” Rey gulped, trying to not fuck up her first interaction with someone on the FOE team. “It’s so nice to meet you, Jannah.” She nods, gesturing Rey to follow her. “Mr. Dameron, Poe, is on the 65th floor. Follow me and we’ll get started.” Jannah took off at light speed, Rey barely managing to keep up to her. Why so fast? Rey had never wanted the world to go slow motion, but now would be a great time for it too. The elevator moved too fast as well, and Rey made a mental note to curse today’s developing technology for making them this damn quick. She quickly brushed her fingers through her hair to tame any strays, the breath in her throat hitching as the elevator dinged- the doors sliding open into a bright white wonderland. The walls were pure glass, a panoramic shot of the city dazzling Rey’s eyes. Every separate office was made of glass as well, reminding her oddly of multiple overpriced hamster balls. She laughed silently to herself, trying to swallow it before someone noticed. Jannah walked ahead, probably assuming Rey was following. The farther into the floor they got, the more she noticed her surroundings. This was a big-timer’s office. The company executives resided here, the plaques on the wall telling Rey all she needed to know. Every movie deal, Oscar nomination, and multi-million-dollar film budget was made here. As far as Rey was concerned, she was walking on sacred ground.

Jannah came to a stop in front of the door labeled with ‘Board Room’. She turned back to glance at her, noticing the fear that was glazing over her eyes. She steps towards her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “He’s really sweet, Rey. I swear. You wouldn’t have this meeting if he wasn’t interested, you know? Just remember that. Remember that _he_ wants _you_ , not vice versa.” Rey nods quickly, trying to drink in Jannah’s words as quick as possible before she flung the door open, bringing Rey face to face with the one and only, Poe Dameron.

“Rey Johnson- in the flesh! It’s so great to meet you!” Poe said, rising from his seat at the head of the extremely large table to greet her. “I have to say, the snippet of your script we got was incredible. We’re very excited to have you here.” Rey flashed her signature toothy grin, her hand grasping his in a firm handshake. “Mr. Dameron the pleasure is all mine! I’ve been a fan of First Order films my whole life. It’s an honor to even be here.” He releases her hand to pat her on the back, offering her a seat at the end of the table. “Please, call me Poe.” Rey nods as she takes her seat, opening her purse to pull out her Screenplay. Holding the complete story in her hand filled her with pride, and the fact that every seat at the table had a copy in front of them as well made her eyes fill with tears. She fought them back, of course, but it had finally hit her that she had _made_ it. She was exactly where she wanted to be.

“So,” Poe starts, flipping her story open to look at the notes she was sure he made. “This story is exactly the kind of thing we’re looking for. A romance tale with an edge. We feel as though this film will pull in the couples as well as the “girl groups”, if you will. A Valentines day release will bring in both of those demographics.” Poe gestures at the man besides him, Rey assuming to be one of his assistants, to take notes of the meeting. The man scribbled furiously, trying to keep up with everything Poe was saying.

“Have you gotten the chance to read the screenplay in completion, sir?” Rey chirps in quietly, trying not to be forceful. Poe nods, flipping to the last page to show her the notes he left. “I finished it last night. Couldn’t put it down, if I’m honest. I’m assuming you’re a Jane Austen fan?” Rey nods, a smile flashing across her face at the mention of one of her literary idols. Jannah flashes her a thumbs up from the corner where she stood. Poe clears his throat to continue talking.

“It reminded me a lot of her. A coming-of-age romance story that has all those notes of passion and bliss but still allows the woman to come out empowered and strong? It was brilliant. You should be very proud of yourself, Rey.” The hot flashes Rey felt earlier had dissipated, replaced with confidence in herself and her work. “I am, sir. I worked very hard on this.” He nods, closing the packet and clasping his hands. “Look, I’m going to be straight forward. We want this story, and we’re prepared to do whatever necessary for you to agree.” Rey was taken aback by his boldness, her hands that rested on her knees squeeze tightly to control the shaking- which was from excitement this time. “I’m flattered, but what were you thinking exactly? Are you asking me to sign the rights away?” Poe shook his head no, pulling a contract out from under the table and sliding it down towards her. “No. We want to keep you on as the head writer of course and are prepared to offer you an executive-producer position if that’s what you wish. The numbers are a discussion we can have later. We know that no one knows this story like you do, so you’re more than welcome to be as involved or absent as you want.” Rey fought the urge to go slack jaw and scream “HOLY SHIT” eating her up inside. Was this really happening?

She coughs, clearing her throat. “I’d like to be as involved as First Order will allow me. I know I’m an up-and-coming writer, but this is my dream. The head writer and executive producer slot sound perfect. My only request is that I can have a say in casting my characters. I have a look that I always pictured in my head, and it would mean a lot if you all would allow me to have a say in that.” Poe clapped his hands together, causing Rey to flinch involuntarily. “Of course! You’re more than welcome. Jannah, do you think you could get Rey a copy of the casting schedule once it’s set in stone?” She nods, silently typing a reminder into her iPad. Rey glances down at the contract in front of her, seeing the name of her story printed in big bold letters made her heart jump.

“We’ll have that contract rewritten once we figure out the pay cuts and numbers. We’ll have another meeting in a weeks’ time to go over it, then we’ll be able to plan casting calls. Sound good?” As much as Rey wanted to keep herself calm and composed, she clapped her hands together excitedly. Poe laughed softly, coming to her end of the table to shake hands once again.

“Welcome to the First Order Entertainment Team, Rey Johnson. We’re happy to have you.”


	2. Rey, Meet Ben.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey rounds up her casting calls, finishing them off with none other than Ben Solo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay- this is a shorter chapter because I like the way it ends *devils laugh*, but I'm working on chapter 3 right now and It will be out by the end of the night (in a few hours, basically.) PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

As much as Rey was excited for this casting session, she was extremely doubtful that anything would come from it.

Her and her team had already met with hundreds of people in New York, and hundreds more in LA. She really thought at this point the clear choice for Spencer would have shown up, dressed in a leather jacket and tight black pants with a cocky attitude, just like how she pictured him. Instead, she watched guy after guy come in and nail the lines but never the _aura_ , if that made any sense. Jannah said this was normal, that it takes a while to find the right guy, but Rey was losing hope by the second.

They had already casted their Carson, a woman named Zorri Bliss who auditioned the first day. She had a Broadway past, which gave her that confident energy Rey deemed mandatory for her cast. The lines Rey gave her to read were some of the most complex from the script, a pivotal scene where Carson professes her love for Spencer over the phone not knowing that her best friend is in bed with him on the other end. Zorri blew threw it with ease, and Rey knew she was the one.

Now that she was officially signed on, Zorri came to all the casting events just in case by some miracle, they found someone competent enough to move on to a chemistry read with her. Rey wasn’t very religious, but she found herself asking God for some help with this one, the impending doom of the situation weighing down on her like boulders.

“Hey, Jannah, I remember reading something about Ben Solo coming in to audition?” The mention of his name causing Zorri’s head to pop up. “Ben? Like, Night Out in Canto Bight Ben Solo?” Rey nods slowly, remembering the movie she’d mentioned. Ben played some fancy, rich man who played lots of poker but also sold weapons for war. He won a whole bunch of awards for it. She raises her eyes, prompting a response from Jannah. “Yes, but we haven’t seen him yet. He’s notorious for saying he’ll do something and not doing it.” Rey leans back in her seat, resting her pen on her lip. So, he was an ass is what she was saying. The last thing this film needed was a diva, and she didn’t need to meet Ben to know that’s exactly what he was.

“You know him then, Jan? You know Ben?”

“Um, you could say that. I worked on one of his best friend’s films. Phasma, her name was. Ben came to visit a couple times. He was a… handful, I guess.”

Rey scoffs silently, mentally writing Ben off the list of potential candidates. Just as she was about to pull out her phone to text Rose and Finn what she heard; the door opened.

_Oh, wow._

It was him, no doubt. His wavy brown hair sat atop his head, cascading down to rest right above his shoulders. She knew he was attractive, but in person was a new perspective she wasn’t sure she was ready to handle. Of course, he had to wear a leather jacket. Rey closed her eyes in frustration, almost regretting her call out to God. She should’ve known it would backfire like this. Under the jacket was a black scoop neck t-shirt that fit perfectly, the hem of it resting just above the button of those damn black pants. She was convinced this was a prank, that someone had set her up. He stopped in the middle of the room, crossing his toned arms across his chest. Jannah must have noticed the shift in energy, turning to raise an eyebrow at Rey.

“I’m Ben Solo, I’m here for the role of Spencer Clare. Are the producers here yet?” Ben asked, glancing around the room aimlessly. Rey swallowed her pride, standing from her seat to shake his hand. “I’m Rey Johnson, writer and executive producer. It’s nice to meet you Ben.” His eyes raked her up and down, stopping halfway to admire the black low-cut blazer she was wearing, or at least that’s what she was hoping he was looking at. Rey liked her outfit today, the red and white checkered pants she picked out looked great with her black pumps. Curling her hair made her look more vibrant, a feeling she wished she had more of during this casting disaster. She knew she looked good, and she assumed he thought she did as well. Zorri coughed to herself, bringing Ben out of his trance, placing his hand in hers and shaking softly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Johnson. Your story is immaculate, by the way. Spencer may be my favorite character from a FOE movie in a while.” Jannah scoffed, opening her notes packet to scribble down some notes, probably a snarky comment about how arrogant he was for liking a character that was deemed the biggest jerk in modern romantic cinema. Rey gestured for Ben to stand in the middle of the room, trying to get him in the line of the camera.

“Okay, Ben. If you could flip to page 148 and start from the top. You just got into a fight with Carson and decide to tell the guy who sat at the bar next to you about it. I wrote it that you’re angry but nonchalant about it. Sound good?” Ben nods, lightly smirking. “Sounds like how I normally act after fights with a woman.” Jannah gives Rey the side eye, clearly showing her strong distaste for the man in front of them. Rey couldn’t blame her, he was very clearly a stuck-up, no good, cocky jerk. He was someone Rey would never waste her time on in real life, but he _screamed_ Spencer, and Rey did not like it at all. “I’ll be returning the lines to you, so just read yours and we’ll go from there.” Rey motions for Jannah to turn on the camera, and he was off.

“I’ve been around, I’ve seen it all. This girl is something else man, it’s like she expects the world to change for her.” Ben starts, immediately snapping into character. Rey’s heart sank to her feet, knowing that her worst fear was coming true.

“Well,” she starts, scooting closer to the table. “Do you love her? Are you willing to change for her?”

“I don’t love anyone or anything. It’s not real, it never will be. Love is just an excuse for lack of sex drive and the laziness one capacitates when they get comfortable where they are.” His hands flying out in irritation, but an amused irritation. Like he enjoyed it.

Like he was _Spencer._

“I think you push people away in fear. I think you love her, and you can’t handle that. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll hurt her, maybe you’re overwhelmed by your fear that you’re not good enough. Who knows, but this charade of being the big bad guy isn’t fooling anyone.”

Ben tilts his head almost cynically, a curt laugh slipping from his lips. He runs his hand through his hair, leaving one stray piece to hang in his face. _He was pretty_ , Rey thought to herself. There was no denying it.

“You don’t know me, dude. You don’t want to KNOW me,” Ben yells, the power in his voice causing the hair on Rey’s arms to stand. “You think you can just sit here with a beer in your hand and tell me what I feel? Step back mother fucker, I’ll end you right now.” He was so graceful with his anger, oddly enough. It was never forceful but still carried enough power to make someone hold their breath. Rey closed her script, turning to Zorri. “You okay with doing a read with him today?” She nodded vigorously, standing to her feet. Ben nods in her direction, standing to the side to make room for her.

“That was great, Ben. If you could both flip to page 54, we’ll read the excerpt from their first kiss. Start at the top and stop at the bottom.” They both turn to face each other, and it was at that moment that Rey realized, without a shred of doubt, that she was looking at her Carson and Spencer. It was almost jarring, like the scenes she’d created in her head had escaped somehow and became human. She wasn’t going to cry, of course, that’s just embarrassing- but it was a monumental moment for her. Jannah noticed, her hand coming up to rub Rey’s arm.

“Spencer, I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours.”

“You and me both, sweetheart.” He steps closer, the gap in between them closing. “But if I don’t know then you can’t either.”

Zorri laughed, her hand coming up to rest on his forearm. His veins tensed under her touch, something Rey took as involuntary tension. They did barely know each other, but with time they’d get comfortable. “You don’t have to be so closed off. You write books, deeply emotional books. Don’t tell me there’s nothing up there.” Her free hand raised to his head, her fingers tangling in his hair. He closes his eyes, stepping even closer. Rey felt like she was going to explode, everything about this exchange was setting her nerve-endings on fire.

“I can write books and still be a blank canvas. That is how books start, you know. Empty paper with no etchings.” She closed the last bit of space separating them, their chests pressed tightly together. “But that’s not how they end, and at some point, this book will end, and you’ll have to tell me something.”

“We’ll see about that, Ms. Roth. We’ll see.” And with that, he lowers his lips to hers. It was soft, and Rey couldn’t help but watch the way his mouth worked. He clearly knew what he was doing, probably from the hundreds of women he’d kissed in his time. Before she could get a closer look, Ben pulled away, shifting his gaze to Rey. Jannah slapped her leg under the table, awakening from her daze. “Uh-um, yes, that was amazing! It’s very clear that you both are exactly what I’m looking for.”

“So, it seems.” He says, smirking at Rey with that damn devilish grin. “I’m assuming that means I have the role?” Zorri turns to look at the girls, begging with her eyes. She wanted so desperately to be payed to make out with this man on the daily, and who was Rey to deny her that.

“So, it seems Ben. Thank you for coming in today, we’ll be contacting you with further details as they’re available to us. Jannah, can you and Zorri please go notify Poe that we found our Spencer? I’ll finish packing up here.” They both nod, Jannah scurrying past Ben without a peep. Zorri grasped his arm tightly again, the look in her eyes doing the talking. Rey knew Zorri was attracted to Ben, it was painfully obvious. She only hoped she’d channel all that attraction into her scenes. Rey began throwing her belongings into her bag, the script going last. Every time she held it her heart fluttered, and the closer they got to filming the stronger it got. She almost wanted to hug it to her chest, but at that moment Ben made it known he hadn’t left the room yet.

“So, any notes for your Spencer?” His words rang around in her head for a moment, ‘ _Your Spencer’._ He knew what he was doing, and Rey was a professional. At least, she thought she was.

“Ben, I’m very happy to have you on board, but your “charm” isn’t going to work here. This is my story, and I’ve been working on it for years. I’ll be damned if I let some conceited, self-absorbed, air-headed boy ruin it for me.” Ben raised his hand to his chest, pretending to feel pain even though he was enjoying this.

“Wow, that’s not a very nice way to talk to your co-worker is it? I thought we’d be friends, Rey. Really _close_ friends?” His tone shifts into something less playful, more eager. “I’ll take notes on anything you got for me.”

Rey squinted her eyes at him, trying to keep her chill. He was going to make her regret casting him, she knew it already. Ben sensed her unease, flashing a 10-thousand watt smile her way. She wanted so badly to tell him to eat shit, but that wasn’t _professional_ , and as Rey stated before, she was a _professional._

“Well, I do have to say your personality is exactly what I was looking for. Lousy boy with absolutely no life goals and a clear lack of emotional intelligence mixed with a weak excuse for “charm”. Oh, and I absolutely love how you channeled a lot of your OWN personality into Spencer, it really brought the asshole in him forward. Nice touch. As far as notes go, I don’t have any! Just continue being the bad-in-bed, empty headed twerp you are, and you’ll be fine.” She smiled, patting him on the shoulder. Ben’s eyes were wide, a cackle laugh erupting from deep in his throat. “Wow, I must have hit a soft spot. I’m sorry, your majesty, won’t happen again.” Ben collected his script from the table, making his way to the door. “I’ll see you on set, Rey.” She shook her head in his direction, focusing back on cleaning her mess while taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

“Oh, Rey?” Ben says, halfway out the door. She turns to look at him, flashing him with her famous ‘what-now’ look. He allows his eyes to trace her frame once more, licking his pink lips.

“I’m not bad in bed by the way, why don’t you just ask Jannah.”


	3. Drunk and Angry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A working Rey is interrupted by Ben, wine and fights ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dears! Here is the chapter 3 you all are waiting on! I'm rounding out chapter 4 as we speak. Thank you for waiting!
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

Rey wanted so badly to ignore the New Republic Media headline flashing across her screen.

“Ben Solo and Rey Johnson: a new tale in Romance.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes back into her head, hoping that if she looked away for long enough it would disappear. No such luck, the photo of her and Ben was still sprawled out across her Twitter homepage. Jannah had already texted her about it, claiming that any publicity is good publicity. Rey knew she was right, but it was still irritating. She patiently awaited the arrival of one of Ben’s classic text messages, probably something along the lines of “you know you love me!” Or “maybe this is a sign.” Filming starts for Oh, What a World in the next few days, and she needed to focus on the task at hand, so it was done before they spent the next 3 months in London filming. Rey had no time to handle Ben.

She was just about to continue typing away as her phone screen lit up, and she knew exactly who it was without having to look.

 **Ben:** Care to tell me exactly what you said in that article to make people think we’re in love?

**Rey:** please don’t remind me. I have so much work to do before the table read, and I don’t have time to argue with you.

**Ben:** Who said I wanted to argue? Maybe I just wanted to chat. How’s my boss doing on this fine day?

**Rey:** don’t push me ben. i mean it.

**Ben:** Seriously Rey, are you okay?

**Rey:** i’m fine. goodbye ben **.**

She slammed her phone down, turning her attention back to her computer. Rey had been spending the day blocking out scenes in the script, trying to map them out in her head. She knew it was going to be harder than this, and that you couldn’t just plan a whole movie in an apartment. However, the first day nerves were creeping up on her and she wasn’t sure if she could wait until then.

Hours had probably gone by before Rey heard a soft knock on the door. Rose was at work and wouldn’t be home for a while, and Finn was out of town visiting his parents. Rey’s eye twitched as she walked to the door, standing on her tiptoes to look out the peephole.

God dammit. Really?

It was Ben Solo, wearing a black trench coat over a thinner black sweater. Those stupid pants seemed to get tighter every time she saw him, and his hair was longer as well. She refused let him think she was admiring him, composing herself before throwing the door open.

“What part of leave me alone do you not understand?” He scoffs, side stepping past her into the living room. His scent fluttered through the air, the smell wafting up towards Rey’s nose. He smelled clean, with a touch of sandalwood. She tried to imagine the price tag attached to it, knowing the kinds of things Ben wasted his money on. The photos of him that circulated in the media all too often made it painfully obvious; him drinking beer on some yacht in the Caribbean, dropping thousands on his flavor of the week at Saks Fifth Avenue, or stumbling up the steps into some private jet ready to take him to one of his many vacation homes all over the world. Rey knew Ben made a lot of money, all the movies he starred in were box-office hits. She didn’t have the nerve to ask how much, though.

“I figured you needed a friend; you just experienced your first trip through the media ringer.” He giggles softly, dropping his wallet on the counter before making his way over to the fridge. “I also read in your interview that your fridge always has some kind of wine in it, so I figured we could share a bottle and discuss business.” Rey rolled her eyes for what felt like the millionth time today, trying to figure out why he thought he was invited to her place. “Ben, where did you get my address? And who gave you the grand delusion that you were welcome here in the first place?” He shrugged, the muscles in his back stretching out under his sweater as he dug through the drawers, probably looking for a bottle opener. “Jannah gave it to me after I pestered her for it. She couldn’t take more than 10 minutes of my voice and she caved.” Rey sighed, reaching for her phone to make a call.

“Hey! How’s the blocking going?” Jannah’s voice, chipper as ever, booming from the speaker.

“It was fine, until Ben showed up at my door ready to irritate me. Why did you give him my address?”

“You would’ve done the same if he showed up at your place of work and banged on the door to your office while reciting an entire monologue from _Good Will Hunting_ in the worst British accent I’ve ever heard.”

“Is he really that desperate?”

“No, I just think he likes to irritate people, especially you.”

“So, I’ve noticed. Alright, thanks for nothing. I’ll make sure to dispose of your leftovers.”

“Anything for you, baby! And hey, not my leftovers. You can’t have leftovers if you didn’t want the dish in the first place.” Rey slammed her phone down on the counter, her skin growing hotter every second that passed. She didn’t have time to deal with him today, and he knew that. Does he really think that the world revolves around him and that she can just drop everything to chat? Ben Solo was a lot of things, but considerate was not one of them.

“So, are we cracking open the Red or White today?” He asks, holding two of Rey’s favorite wines in either hand. She looked back at her desk, seeing her script in pieces. She dismantled it earlier, trying to block them out separately. The last thing she needed to be doing was drinking and they both knew that, but she was so drained. She’d only slept 6 hours these past 3 days, the bags under her eyes deepening in color every time she looked in the mirror. Ben shimmied his shoulders lightly to egg her on, but the wine was enough to pull her in.

“One glass, Solo. Are we clear?” She snatches the white wine out of his hands, raising the bottle to her lips to take a swig. No wonder Rose did this so often, it was liberating. Ben quirked his eyebrow at her, drinking from the red bottle the same way she did. “Clear as day.”

* * *

Rey flopped back on her couch, her legs resting over the side. She blew the strand of hair off her face, laughing as it fell back in the same spot. She was 2 bottles of wine in, going against the one rule she had set in the first place. Ben wasn’t any better, though he had limited his alcohol intake to 2 or 3 glasses. He was amused with the way she could throw back drinks, and how quickly they brought out the crazy-party girl Rey was never able to be in College.

“Alexa, play Pony by Ginuwine!” Rey screamed into the void, her speaker system dinging in response. Suddenly, the music blasted through her apartment, and Ben’s hands flew to his ears to shield them from the harsh base. Rey stood to her feet, bottle in hand, and danced her way through her living room. She was never very good at it; her lack of hand eye coordination made her look like a drunk penguin at a club. However, she was intoxicated now and had no idea what was going on; giving her the delusion that she was the star of the next Step Up movie. Ben stood from his seat, following her into the kitchen. He leaned up against the wall, watching her spin around in slow circles to the beet of the song. He would never say it out loud, but she was attractive. A brat, yes, but attractive none the less. They were dressed quite similar, now that Ben had the chance to look at her. The black knit sweater she wore was cropped, resting right at the top of her dark denim jeans. She had lost her shoes during the last bottle of wine, throwing them into the next room. He found himself staring at her ass, shaking his head to stop himself. Ben dropped his bottle next to hers, trying to shimmy past Rey to get some water. She saw what he was doing, backing up ever so slightly to brush her hip against his. He closed his eyes, reminding himself that she was not only extremely irritating and drunk, but technically his boss. Ben was always down for a good time, but he’d never jeopardize his work. Well, for the most part.

Rey noticed his reaction, backing up against the counter. The alcohol in her system made her bold, but irresponsible. She knew that if she was sober, she wouldn’t be doing this right now. Her brain felt like it was on autopilot, the rush of Pinot Grigio taking over.

“I’m uncomfortable!” Rey exclaimed, her hands flying to her belt, yanking it off. Ben’s eyes flew open, realizing that she was about to strip down in front of him. His feet carried him towards her before his brain told them too, stopping her in her tracks. “Woah, ma’am. This isn’t Spring Breakers, pants stay on.” Rey pouted, swatting his arms away. “Oh, so you’ll sleep with Jannah and everyone else on planet earth but the ungodly idea of me trying to undo my pants is just too much? You’re full of it, Ben.” She exclaimed, throwing the belt down at his feet. Ben wasn’t sure if he should pick it up or kick it to the side, the ladder seeming like a better option; he left it there. “Who told you I sleep with everyone? I happen to have very specific tastes, thank you very much?”

“Phasma?”

“Once, we were kids. We’ve known each other forever, so it doesn’t count.”

“Jannah?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“Your assistant?”

“Not the one I have now. That’d be slightly inappropriate considering she’s married….to a woman.” He laughs, amused by her interrogation.

“Oh, so the last one?”

“What can I say? She really enjoyed her job and wanted to thank her boss for the opportunity.”

“Ben, that’s so fucked up. I bet you have some superiority kink, huh? You probably like that shit, someone calling you sir and all that crap.” She slurs, the wine giving her a grade A potty mouth. Her arms flailed through the air in a sheepish attempt to get her point across.

“Are you commenting or asking me to show you?” He says, the smirk gracing his face made Rey’s blood boil. He knew exactly how to piss her off, but she couldn’t be that mad. She did this one to herself. Standing to her feet, she stumbles around until she lands in front of him, their faces only inches apart.

“You know, you’re the reason I write these stories.”

“Oh wow, I’m flattered. I’ll remember to put that on my headstone. Here lies Ben Solo; actor, friend, son, and Rey’s muse.” His eyes glint with mischief.

“That’s not a good thing. You want to be like Spencer? You want to be a dick without a care for anyone other than himself?” She didn’t even realize her finger was waving in his face until he pushed it away.

“I think that Spencer isn’t as bad as you think he is.”

“THINK he is? Ben, I made him!” Rey screams, her face turning red with anger. “He is bad. He cheated and lied, like all men do.”

“This sounds like it goes deeper then some story. Which boy ripped your heart out and stomped on it, huh?” He says, making little ‘boohoo’ noises to get his point across.

“Fuck you, Ben. Fuck you.” She seethed, almost hissing at him. This man’s ego was so inflated it drove her nuts and she’d had enough. “Get out of my apartment. Now.”

“Oh, come on Rey, I thought we were playing.” He starts, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I said get out, Ben. I won’t ask again.”

Before he could protest any further, they heard the lock turn in the door. Rose entered the room, dropping her bag to the floor. She was about to say something, probably screaming Rey’s name to get her attention, until she saw them. To the opposing eye, it looked bad. Rey’s fists were balled at her side, the red on her face hard to miss. Ben looked like he was walking towards her. His right foot in front of the left and his hands out in front of him. Rose wasn’t sure what to think, and Rey wasn’t helping her. Their eyes meet, Rey nodding hello.

“Um, Hi. I’m Rose, Rey’s roommate. And you are?” She says, holding her hand out for Ben. He returned it, smiling back. “I’m Ben Solo, I’m in Rey’s movie.” Rose nods, bullshitting this whole interaction. She knew damn well who Ben was but wasn’t about to let him know that. “Nice to meet you. I’ll go upstairs, sorry I interrupted something.” She says, advancing forward. “No!” Rey exclaims, looking back and forth from Ben and her friend. “Actually, Ben was just leaving.” He swallows hard at the look on her face, her eyes dark with resentment. He knew he had pushed it to far.

“Yes, um, It was nice to meet you Rose.” Ben says, snatching his coat and wallet from the counter before fleeing out through the door. Rey exhaled once he left, her hands coming up to rest on the counter.

“Care to tell me what’s going on? Because I see 2 empty wine bottles, your belt on the floor, and Alexa playing the soundtrack from Magic Mike.” Rey scoffed, turning the stereo off. “Nothing, honestly. He showed up to bother me and we ended up drinking. Nothing happened.” Rose came to stand next to her, stroking her back in soothing circles. “Did you guys fight? Are you okay?” Rey nodded, moving away. “I’m fine, um, he’s just a lot sometimes.” She lets out a breathy laugh, pushing her hair behind her ear. Rey was fine, technically, but there was something about his words that really stung. It was men like Ben Solo that reminded her why she didn’t believe in love, and that hurt more than anything.

“Okay, well, I’ll be in my room if you want to talk about it.” Rose kissed her cheek, running up the stairs into her room. Rey closed her eyes, trying to collect herself. All she knew was that If this was how 3 hours with Ben went, she didn’t know how she’d handle 3 whole months.


	4. Silver or Black?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the big cast party, everyone's final hurrah in New York before they take off to London to film, has arrived. Rey just wants to hang out with her friends, but Ben doesn't like letting her off that easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves!! I hope you like this chapter; I'm really excited to finally start diving into Ben and Rey's relationship more. 
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

Silver or Black?

Rey had been staring at the same two pairs of heels for 3 hours, her eyes darting back and forth between them and the outfit she picked out for the night. Which would work best? There would be all kinds of press at the cast party tonight, it was the first time they’d all be going to be out together. She wasn’t nervous, per say, but she wasn’t excited by any means. The only reason Rey hadn’t totally lost her chill was Rose and Finn agreeing to come with her.

“Do silver- black would be too boring with the cool eye makeup.” Rose says, entering the room with a twirl. She borrowed one of Rey’s dresses for the party, a red gown with cross body fabric starting at the waist. It looked amazing paired with those black heels; Red already being too much color for Rose. “You like?” Rey nodded, whistling. “You look hot, my friend. Are we dressing up for someone tonight?” Rose raised her eyebrow, eyeing her friend’s choice of clothing. “Are you?” The smirk on her face ate Rey alive, knowing damn well that Rose was referring to Ben. “No, I just like how it fits my body. Is that a crime?” Rose threw her hands up in surrender, plopping down on the bed. “Not at all, I just don’t think he’ll be able to control himself when he sees you in _that._ ” Rey laughed, running to the closet to change. It was a great outfit, in all honesty. The dress was covered in navy-blue sequins, the color making her eyes pop. White stars danced across the fabric, a small touch that Rey loved. There were no straps, so her collarbones made quite an appearance, and the dress tightened at her waist, slimming her figure in ways Rey didn’t think possible. However, the real kicker was the frayed bottom. When she twirled, the dress almost came apart exposing her legs up until mid-thigh. Rose convincing her to use a bit of gel to push back her hair seemed risky at first but was quickly becoming the best decision of the night, and Rey felt good- no, she felt _sexy_ \- a feeling she wasn’t too familiar with.

“Ladies, we’re dipping in 5 minutes! Let’s go!” Finn yelled from downstairs, hatred for being late evident in his tone. “You both are not going to make me late to my first big celebrity party!” Rey snorted, taking her time walking down the stairs in such high shoes. “You mean _my_ first big celebrity party?” He waved his hand, turning to the door. “Does it really matter? A party is a party children, now let’s go before we miss the red carpet!”

* * *

_"Rey! Over here! Rey- right here sweetheart!”_

The flashing lights of snapping cameras and the pestering sound of photographers screeching at her drove Rey absolutely nuts. She knew this was part of the gig, but God was it irritating. Rose stood at her side; their arms linked to avoid losing each other. Finn, on the other hand, saw the open bar and bounced right when they arrived. Jannah stood off to the side directing everyone to their spots in her signature Barbie pink pantsuit. She looked amazing, but what was new. She _always_ looked camera ready.

 _“Ben! Ben Solo, over here!”_ Rey’s head flipped to catch his entrance. She wanted so badly to groan out loud, his outfit making her stomach flip. It was an all-black suit, of course. The jacket, button-up, tie, pants, and shoes were all pitch black, and of course they all had to fit flawlessly. Behind ben came Phasma and Hux, his best friends, and Amilyn Holdo- another cast member. Rey had picked her on her own after seeing her show on Broadway a few weeks ago. They hit it off right away, making the casting process very easy. She threw a wave Rey’s way, smiling from ear to ear. Rey waved back, watching the cameras eat her up. She was a bigger deal then Ben, if that was even possible. He was too busy snapping shots with Zorri, who had just arrived as well. The people really loved them; Rey glanced over with a frown. _“That’s a good thing, idiot.”_ She thought, quickly removing any look of disdain from her face.

“Rey, who’s that?” Rose asks, her finger landing on the red head standing next to Ben. “That’s Hux, I think. They’ve been best friends since they were kids.” She nods, her eyes never leaving him. He returns her gaze, flashing her a crooked smile. Rey looked back and forth between them, laughing to herself. “Of course, of all the people at this party you chose to be attracted to the devil incarnate’s bestie.” Rose slapped her arm playfully. “Well, it doesn’t seem like the devil incarnate thinks you’re half bad.” She lifts her chin, gesturing over to where Ben was standing. It was at that point that Rey realized he was staring directly at her, his eyes boring into hers. His gaze was so strong it sent chills down her arms, like a cold wind had passed. It was Rose’s turn to gawk back and forth between them, relishing in the idea of Rey having a crush on someone other than a character out of a novel. “Hey, I see Finn-I’m going to head over there. Meet up after the carpet?” Rey nods, releasing her from the grips of her arms.

 _“Rey! Ben! Photo please!”_ The photographers were desperate at this point, probably still riding the high of the New Republic Media article about them. Ben walked over, stopping next to her. “You okay with a couple photos, your highness?” He whispered in her ear, his arm coming to rest on the small of her back. Rey nodded with a smile, trying to not let the camera see her eye twitch with irritation. “You really bring the asshole persona with you everywhere, huh?” He laughs, directing his face to the camera. “Only for you, of course.” After the barrage of lights ended, Rey pulled away from him to head inside.

“Rey!” Jannah yelled, gaining her attention. “Don’t forget to twirl for the cameras!” Her smile egging her on. Rey smirked seeing Ben’s eyebrow raise in confusion. In that instant- Rey decided that she wanted to be the one showing off for once.

So, she twirled, and she did it _good_.

The frays at the bottom of her dress flew up in the air as she gained momentum, her toned legs on display for all to see. Rey’s silver heels framed her bottom half so well, and cheers from those around her only fired her up more. Coming to a stop, she glanced in Ben’s direction- his eyes glued to her with no intent of moving. She craved this reaction, like for once it was him admiring her looks and not the opposite. She shrugged, strutting past him to enter the party.

Rose and Hux had hit it off way faster than Rey thought they would, the two sat perched in the corner of the club chatting over drinks. She laughed hysterically at everything he said, holding his arm for support. They seemed to like each other, and Rey was happy for her best friend- but with Rose gone, she was lonely at her own party. Finn was still no where to be seen, probably flirting with one of the servers. Rey took another sip of her vodka soda, looking around for someone to talk too.

“Rey! How are you?” She heard, turning around to see none other than Luke Skywalker, president of First Order Entertainment. He was Poe’s boss, which made him her boss’s boss. She gulped, opening her arms as he went in for a hug. “I’m great Mr. Skywalker. How are you?” He gestured his hands around the room, beaming from ear to ear. “This is a great success so far Rey, you should be proud.” She nodded, trying to seem humble- but the truth is, Rey was proud. This was a huge accomplishment, and they hadn’t even started filming yet. “It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Skywalker. Thank you for believing in my vision enough to help me bring it to life.” He patted her shoulder, drinking rum from the crystal glass between his fingers. “The pleasure is all mine. You have my number, reach out whenever you need. I’m going to head out, plus I see a certain someone advancing your way. Good luck in London, sweetie.” He strolls off to join Amilyn and Poe, probably chatting about the latest gossip in the film industry. Rey hadn’t been here long enough to join in on the chit chat, but it was a goal. Anyone who is anyone constantly knew what was going on, and Rey was about as informed as a reckless toddler running around with scissors.

By ‘certain someone’, Luke meant Ben. He appeared at her side with that shit eating grin he did so well and a beer in his hands. “I must say Rey, you clean up nice.” She groaned, tossing back more of her drink. “Wish I could say the same about you, Solo.” She could say the same, he looked great. Of course, she’d never say that to him, the idea of inflating his ego any bigger than it already was made her nauseous. He laughs, and Rey’s insides churned at the sound. If his personality wasn’t made of complete dog shit, he’d be such a catch. She wondered how all the women he’d been with tolerated it, then she remembered- a thick wallet will make someone do anything their asked. Rey shivered at the thought of him buying mindless gifts to appease the carousel of women in his bed.

“So, your friends enjoying their night in the spotlight?”

“Well, Rose is probably going to sleep with your best friend- and Finn took off 20 seconds after we arrived. I assume he’s blowing one of the staff members, but that’s a thought I’d rather not entertain.”

“Such a naughty mouth, I must say. I didn’t peg you as someone who would know what ‘blowing’ meant.”

The bones in Rey’s body tensed every time he talked down to her, and she’d had enough. She was tired of him treating her like a child, and if it was a conversation about Rey’s sexual escapades he wanted, that’s what he’d get.

“Oh yeah, it’s one of my favorite past times. Well, that, and getting bent over a desk and fucked until I can’t walk anymore. What about you?” The chipper tone in her voice made the sentence fly out condescending as hell, and Ben gulped loudly- trying to process what she had said. He wasn’t often left speechless, and he wasn’t about to start now.

“Wow, really? Amateur hour. I personally think taking a woman from behind is great and all, but on a desk?” A sound close to ‘tsk-tsk’ escaped his lips, his fingers waving around as if he was scolding a child. “I’d prefer a window. Something fun about that huh? The one in your place is a great option, you know. Or that ledge separating your stairs from your living room? It’s at a great level- perfect for someone to go down on you- of course. Maybe you should keep that in mind the next time you bring one of those _boys_ you like so much home.”

Rey’s cheeks burned, but she wasn’t sure if it was with anger or…longing? Was she actually entertaining the vision he handed her? She’d never looked at her window that way but now Rey wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to look at it normally again.

 _Boys._ His comment burned her skin, like someone had lit a match against her back. He didn’t know a damn thing about her sex life- he thought he was such a hot shot and it drove her nuts. Rey told herself she wouldn’t fight with him at such an extravagant event; but she felt it boiling over in a way she couldn’t control.

“I only let _men_ inside of me, thank you very much. Is that something you’d even know about? Sounds like you’ll let anything with legs in your bed.”

Oh, he was _mad. MAD mad._

“Sounds like you’re jealous, huh? Maybe I need to take you home and show you how I do it. Give you some standards to hold those _boys_ too.”

Rey had never considered punching someone before, but the idea sounded delicious now. However- her brain was still stuck on his statement.

_Take you home and show you how I do it._

She wanted to be grossed out, repulsed even, but that wasn’t the sensation she felt. Why did she want him too? Why did the idea sound, appealing, almost?

“Looks like you’re considering it, huh? Goes to show you’ve never been fucked by a _real man_ before.” He raises his glass to his lips, allowing them to pillow the rim just enough to make Rey want to scream. He pulled away, leaning in towards her ear.

“You just let me know when you want that to change.”

And with that, off Ben went; back to his glamorous life- without Rey.

* * *

The girls slumped into their apartment followed by an extremely drunk Finn. Turns out, he had hooked up with someone- but refused to disclose the information as to who it was. Honestly, at this point, they were too exhausted to care. He flopped down on the couch, knocking out immediately. It was 3 in the morning, and they had no energy left after the party-even though Rose spent most of it having pretend sex in her head with Hux. Everyone had a great time except for Rey- who was still dazed and confused from her encounter with Ben earlier. She’d told Rose the gist of it in the cab home, her friend slapping her on the arm in excitement.

“So, we never finished, you’re going to fuck him- right?” Rey’s eyes shot open, dropping her shoes to the floor in shock. The thud they caused made Finn groan in his sleep and bury his face further into the pillow- if that was possible.

“No, I’m not. We’re coworkers, Rose. There’s no way that would end well.”

“Why not? There’s no feelings there, right?” Rey nodded, knowing damn well that she only thought of Ben as the attractive pest she couldn’t get rid of. “Well,” Rose starts, smirking at her best friend. “I think that gives you the all clear. He’s yummy, you have to admit.” Rey wasn’t going to deny that, the quirk in her eyebrow answering Rose’s question.

“Rose, this is so stupid. We’re both tired and are in no mental capacity to talk about this. Can we sleep please?” Rose nods sleepily, shuffling upstairs and shutting her door behind her. “Goodnight, loser! I love you!” Rey yelled, Rose murmuring in response from her bed.

As Rey was turning the lights off, she saw Finn clutch his arms to create warmth. She pulled a blanket from the cabinet to cover him, patting his head softly to say goodnight. As she made her way upstairs, her eyes find that window behind her desk, and she can’t help but picture her pressed up against it, with Ben’s body on her own.


	5. Nothing Has Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben goes over to Rey's to help her pack; the conversation quickly shifting to something more serious. Ben finally gives in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is SUCH a long chapter I'm so SORRY OMG. However, I love the writing on this one. The next chapter is gonna be emotional so be prepared my friends. You're going to learn a lot about Rey over these next few updates. 
> 
> I have to give a HUGE shoutout to my good friend jess (@kylocangetit) for helping craft the idea for this chapter. i LOVE YOU ma’am. 
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

Rey clutched her phone tightly in her hands, the corners digging into her palms. The shaking in her hands came in waves, but she knew it would only last so long.

There was no reason for her to be nervous, anyways. It was just Ben- she couldn’t stand the guy most of the time. The only reason she was reacting this way was due to the caffeine flowing through her veins to counteract the sleep deprivation raging tearing her body apart. Last she’d checked, she’d downed 6 cold brews and 3 shots of espresso- the red hue lining her eyes deepening with every sip. Wine was the next step but the last thing she needed was to be drunk and exhausted in front of Ben, a combo he’d never let her live down.

Luggage was scattered around her living room- she’d realized earlier that day how difficult it was to pack up 3 months-worth of your life into 6 suitcases. Her whole closet had been yanked out in a fit of frustration, and her shoes formed a crooked circle around her feet. To the wandering eye, she looked like she was having a mental breakdown, but- it was just Rey desperate to sleep and taking it out on her wardrobe.

Just as she was about to tackle her pile of scarves, Rey heard a knock at the door. She jumped at the sound, her legs wobbling as she crossed the room.

_Deep breaths, Rey._

She couldn’t explain why he made her nervous. It wasn’t anything bad, but it wasn’t exactly anything good. He just reminded her of every guy she was ever warned of, like every guy she ever wrote a hateful poem about.

Snapping back to the present, Rey threw the door open to find Ben leaning up against the door frame; a bag of Chinese food in one hand and a chilled bottle of Chardonnay in the other. He smiled softly, throwing his head back to knock the hair out of his face. Rey stood to the side, gesturing for him to enter.

He looked good, per usual- Rey didn’t need to explain this anymore. It was a different look then she expected, though, a black and red checkered flannel with the same black jeans. It was a very simple look for Ben, though Rey would admit that it was the most color she’d ever seen him wear. She wasn’t prepared for guests, only wearing a red t-shirt with some black leggings. He didn’t seem to care, of course.

“You look awful.” He says, placing the bottle on the counter. Ben paid close attention to the prominent dark circles engulfing her eyes, a look that could’ve been concern dashing across his face- disappearing in a fleeting second.

“Well, that’s what no sleep and an excessive amount of coffee will do to you.” Her hands coming up to grab the bag of food. It smelled good, and Rey prayed he got it from somewhere that wasn’t shit. “It’s from Dannie’s, by the way- It’s in Brooklyn. Best spring rolls in the city.” Nodding, Rey dug around the bag until she landed on a box labeled KPC. “How’d you know Kung-Pao chicken was my favorite?” He laughs, grabbing 2 glasses from the shelf. He remembered where they were from their…last encounter.

“I didn’t, actually. It’s my favorite as well. We can share, they pack too much anyways.” She nodded, separating the dish onto two plates. Rey shoveled the food in her mouth, closing her eyes in extasy. Her taste buds danced at the sight of something that wasn’t jam packed with the bite of caffeine- and she wanted nothing more than to dance with them, the calories were already perking her back up. Ben must have noticed, quietly laughing in her direction. He gazed down at his feet before dropping the plate on the counter and clearing his throat to talk.

“Look, I want to apologize for the other night here- and the party. I was way out of line. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that.” Rey swallowed, her eyes averting from his. “Don’t apologize- I was out of bounds as well. I’m sure we both said some things we didn’t mean.” This was something Rey was sure of- losing her temper was a skill of hers, but after 6 years of therapy and a high dosage of Zoloft, she thought she could control it. All this stress was stripping her of her coping mechanisms, and she hated it. She loathed feeling like she was on autopilot to her own life-like there was always a foggy haze coating her eyes. Rose knew how Rey got when she was overwhelmed, and her friendship was the thing that helped. Now that she was flying halfway across the world for 3 months, Rey wasn’t sure how she was going to maintain a civil persona without her.

“Why are you apologizing? Rey, I pushed you too far. It’s something I’m quite good at, in all honesty. I’m sure you know that.” She quirked her eyebrow in response, enjoying Ben’s passionate apology. It was nice to know that his ego didn’t over-weigh all his brain cells.

“Look, let’s just drop it- okay? We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other for a while- let’s just start over.” He nods at her words, scooping more food into his mouth. Rey chuckled, throwing a piece of rice at his head. “I still don’t like you very much.” He gasps, slamming his hand to his chest to fake offended. “Well, I’m happy to report that I don’t like you much either.” She raised the glass of wine to her mouth, savoring the sweet flavor. “What brand is this? It’s amazing.” He reached for the bottle, squinting his eyes to read the small print. “Some kind of Chardonnay. I found it in my cabinet- the label says, ‘from England’ so it fits the theme.” He shrugs, handing her the bottle. It felt electric in her hands, probably from the cold. He was right, it was made in Sussex. Something about Ben digging through his cabinet to find English wine made her smile- it was such a small gesture, but it was kind- something Rey wasn’t sure he could pull off.

“So, let’s get you packed. Which stack are you on now?”

“Scarves. I’ve sorted them by color and length.”

“Oh, God. Let me get more wine.”

* * *

“Favorite color?”

“Purple. But like, light purple. Lilac or something.”

“It can’t be your favorite if you don’t know the name of it.”

“Says the one who thought magenta was a shade of grey.” Rey says back, her wine glass sloshing around as her arms flailed through the air. They’d been like this for at least 2 hours, throwing questions at each other. He’d asked everything from ‘where were you born?’ To ‘what keeps you awake at night?’ Rey did have to give him credit, he always had some crazy quiz that she could never answer fast enough. She wondered how his brain worked- what ticked behind his eyes.

“Okay, next. Favorite album of all time. You can only listen to one forever- what’s your pick?” Rey sat back, absorbing the question. There were so many options, really. She’d always loved music- something her mother raised her with. There wasn’t a Frank Sinatra album she didn’t own, although they did sit in storage. Looking at them was painful, she’d admit.

“Honestly, it’s a new one. You may kill me.” He shrugs, leaning his arms over the back of the couch. “Try me.”

“Fine Line. Harry Styles.”

Ben roared in laughter, his hand coming to rest on his stomach for support. “Your favorite album of all time was made by some guy from One Direction? Oh, this is rich. Are you hiding a shrine somewhere?” She threw a pillow at his head, her face turning beat red. “It’s a beautiful album! I bet you haven’t even listened to it!” In Ben’s defense, he only knew one genre of music. The radio wasn’t something he used often, so Top 40 music tended to go over his head. “Mine is Bcos U Will Never Be Free by Rex Orange County, by the way.” Rey swallowed her wine hard, jumping to her feet. “If you like Rex Orange County you’ll love Fine Line. C’mon Ben, it’s practically in the same genre.” He raised an eyebrow, not believing a word she was saying. “That’s pop music. I’m not dumb.” Rey stomped her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. “If I answer one of your annoyingly deep questions, will you listen to the album?”

Ben considered his options. He loved personal information, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t have a few questions about Rey that needed answers. It was just an album, and if it makes her shut up, he’d listen to it.

“Fine. You have a deal.” Rey clapped, crossing her legs in her lap. “Alright, hit me with the question. You only have one- so make it good.”

“Okay- tell me, what’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.”

Rey’s face went white, the answer immediately coming to the forefront of her brain. Pushing her hair behind her ears, she opened her mouth to speak- but nothing came out.

“Um- I, um-“ She stuttered, swallowing hard to clear her throat.

“Hey,” Ben starts, moving closer until he sat right next to her. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer.” She coughs softly. “No, it’s okay- I just haven’t talked about this with anyone other then Rose.” Nodding, Ben sits back. “You can start whenever you’re ready.”

That was all she needed.

“I was 17 when my mom died. She wasn’t sick or anything, and no one saw it coming. Well, no one outside the family. I, however, had a feeling.” He squints his eyes, trying to make sense of what she was saying. “Not to be an ass, but what does that mean?” She laughs softly, sniffling her nose.

“My dad was an alcoholic. Well- _Is_ an alcoholic. He wasn’t always, though. My childhood was pretty good, actually. I never had to want for anything, and if I needed money for school or a haircut- I got it. My mom oversaw that, of course. She took me wherever I needed to be, showed up to all my academic competitions, took pictures of me at school dances. The usual. I’m convinced she was the best mom in the world.” At this point Rey was starting to tear up, but she was stronger than that. _Deep breath- exhale._ She never cried in front of people, not even Rose. It’s a habit her therapist said was ‘self-destructive’, but Rey couldn’t help it.

“I decided I was going to go to a movie with my friends after school. My dad was never around anyways, either at the bar or asleep in his room with the door locked. I didn’t think about leaving her there alone because I did it all the time- nothing ever happened. However, I forgot that Tuesday nights were my dad’s check in with his parole officer. He’d gotten in trouble with the law, I guess. My mom never gave me the details.” Ben’s movements stiffened, like he knew where this story was going.

“I normally was the one to drive him because he was too drunk. They only tested for drugs, not liquor- so he’d show up drunk off his ass and they never cared. I guess that’s the thing about alcoholism; the more used to drinking you are, the less it affects you. Most people didn’t even notice- just me and mom. We knew the difference because we knew him so well.” The closer she got to the end the heavier her chest got- and she found herself gasping for air.

“He wasn’t violent, he never hit her or me. I think he was just oblivious. So, that night, he demanded to drive himself. My mom protested, claiming it wasn’t safe. She couldn’t drive at night- there was something wrong with her vision. So, she offered to come with him to make sure nothing bad happened. They didn’t last 10 minutes- my dad spun out of control on the highway and slammed into the median. My mom died on impact, but he lived.”

Ben sat there, mouth open, not sure what to say. He’d experienced a lot of trauma in his life, but nothing like this. All he could do was place his hand on her shoulder, rubbing comforting circles with his thumb.

“The police called me at the movies, and I didn’t answer because I was so infatuated with the story. I remember stripping back the dialogue piece by piece in my head to analyze it. My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing, and my friends were getting pissed off- so I ran outside to answer. I don’t remember much of that night after, to be honest. I think my brain just kind of shut down.” Rey took a big swig of wine; the sharp twang of the drink coated her throat distracting her from the tears burning her eyes. “It’s part of the reason why I write the stories I do. I had to watch my family get torn apart- watch my mom die, my dad get sent to jail for driving while under the influence and vehicular manslaughter. I mean, we weren’t much of a ‘family’ to begin with, but still. It taught me that happy endings are only given to special people- and that’s just not me.”

It was quiet after that, the two of them staring off into the same space in the void. Ben wasn’t sure what to say and neither was Rey- for once they were on the same page.

“Thank you,” he says, pouring more wine in their glasses. “You didn’t need to tell me that but I’m glad you did.” He raises his glass to hers, clinking them together. “To your mom.” Rey smiled, her grip on her thigh tightening.

“To my mom.”

* * *

“So, now that my sob session is over- can we listen to Fine Line now?” Rey chirped, the thought of showing someone her favorite album cheering her up. Ben rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Fine. Pick a song and I’ll pretend like I don’t hate it.” She slapped his arm, turning towards her speaker. “Alexa, play Fine Line by Harry Styles.” Suddenly, the title track flowed through her speaker. It was soft- gentle, almost. She closed her eyes to take in the music, her head swaying back and forth slowly. Ben was almost amused by her actions, the way she took in things was fun to watch. He found that she did the same thing to almost every song she heard, but now he saw how in-tune she was with her favorite ones. He had to admit, the song wasn’t half bad. Maybe he’d judged too soon- as he always did.

_“Put a price on emotion, I'm looking for something to buy.”_

It was then he realized how soft her skin looked, and how badly he wanted to touch it- to feel it under his fingers.

_“You've got my devotion; But man, I can hate you sometimes.”_

At this point, his eyes found her lips- he admired how soft they looked, and how often he’d found himself staring at them.

_“I don't want to fight you, and I don't want to sleep in the dirt.”_

Her eyes opened slowly, and her gaze met his. She seemed to be on the same line he was, like they were both thinking the same things- just afraid to say it.

_“We'll get the drinks in. So, I'll get to thinking of her.”_

Rey couldn’t get a clear thought in before Ben reached over, grabbing her face in his hands and pressing his lips to hers. Normally, she’d pull away; this wasn’t something she did often- or ever, for that matter- but there was something about the way his hand slid from her cheek to her neck, his grip tightening. The kiss wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t harsh. His mouth caressed hers just right, the idea of pulling away seemed ridiculous. She found her hands traveling up into his hair, grabbing a fistful for support. He groaned in her mouth, his tongue swiping her lower lip. She deepened the kiss, allowing him to explore her mouth as she did his. Ben grabbed her legs, repositioning her onto his lap. Rey couldn’t deny- the kiss mixed in with the music made this an experience to remember.

 _His hands- God, his hands._ They weren’t soft- they were calloused, like they’d flipped through too many pages and thrown something heavy one too many times. They didn’t need to be soft, though- it was the way they touched her skin that made her feel faint. His grip would tighten depending on where he placed them; if they were on her hips, he’d hold her still to keep her from moving away, as if she’d disappear any second. If he had them on her legs, he’d squeeze them occasionally, making her squirm. Her favorite, however, was when he brought them to her neck. His hands were naturally strong, she assumed with the way he used them to control the direction her head tilted. Rey was shaking, though this time it wasn’t from lack of sleep- it was completely and undoubtedly due to Ben.

Rey’s shirt began to raise up her torso, Ben taking advantage by sliding his grip up her waist. She refused to let go of his hair, tugging it to tilt his head back. He removed his lips from hers, a harsh groan escaping her in defiance- the sound fading away as his mouth left small kisses, trailing from her jaw downwards.

“Mm, I knew your skin would be soft.” He murmured, biting her neck and swiping his tongue over to soothe it. She moaned softly into his ear, the air hitching in her throat. “Sounds like you’ve thought about it before, huh?” He chuckled against her, their chests pressing together with a new force. “That, I won’t admit too.” Ben reconnects their lips, hot breath mixing in a rush to feel each other; a craving to be closer, if that was even possible.

Rey felt this encounter going farther, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it; before she could think any further, the lock in the door started to turn. Ben pulled back, their heads snapping to look across the room. She leaps from his lap, running to the peep hole to see who it was.

A drunk Rose was at the door, struggling to get it open. Rey assumed that she’d drank tequila, because she only acted this way when she’d had one too many margaritas. The real kicker was that behind Rose, was an equally as intoxicated Hux.

Rey’s eyes flew open, spinning around to look at Ben with sheer terror in her eyes. He stood to his feet- not sure why she looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

“Bathroom. Now.” And with that, Ben took off running down the hall. Rey followed, shutting the door softly to hide them both. If Rose saw her in Ben’s lap, she’d hold it against her for the rest of their lives.

Finally, Rose managed to get the door open by kicking the bottom with her boots a couple times. She was laughing hysterically; a sound Rey knew all too well. Hux was cackling with her- probably _at_ her.

“Is that…Is that fucking _Hux?_ ” Rey pushed her finger onto his lips to silence him; he swatted it away, pressing his head to the door just as she was. “I told you they were probably going to hook up, did I not? It’s not my fault you don’t listen to me.” Ben rolled his eyes, squinting them as if it would help him hear better. “I mean, I listened, but I didn’t _think_ he’d do it. That’s like sleeping with the enemy.” Rey stood up, a smug frown sweeping her face. “ _Sleeping with the enemy_? What are you, 10? He stood up straight to meet her, their faces only inches apart. “Well, at the time it was that way. Has something changed?” She’d never wanted to punch someone but kiss them all at once, but she was experiencing it now. “I don’t know Ben, you tell me, considering you just had your tongue down the enemies throat!” His eyes darkened, stepping backwards until he was pressed up against the shower.

“Didn’t hear you complaining.”

Rey rolled her eyes, pressing her head back to the door. All she could hear was shuffling around, the occasional kiss, and…moaning.

“Oh my _God,_ they’re going to fuck on my couch. And I’m going to have to sit here and listen to it.” Rey’s skin began to crawl at the thought- as close as her and Rose were, this is a level she didn’t care to surpass. She bent over further, her back arched in Ben’s direction. She heard his footsteps approaching but didn’t think anything of it- until she felt his hands drawing soft circles on her back. He leaned over her body, placing light kisses on the back of her neck.

“Ben, what are you doing?” His grip tightened once again, the kisses moving up until his teeth sank lightly into her earlobe- a low moan flying out of Rey’s mouth.

“I mean, if they’re going to have fun- why can’t we?” She turned around to face him, his hands finding purchase on her waist. His smirk was electrifying, almost impossible to not look at. He knew he was hard to say no too- it was one of his strengths. Ben backed her up against the door, allowing her hands to rest in his hair once again. Just as she went to kiss him again, the door flew open; Rey almost falling backwards had it not been for Ben’s arms catching her.

“You _BITCH!_ I knew it. I KNEW it!” Rose sputtered out, a half-naked Hux at her side. “Did you find the condoms I told you about?” Ben’s playful eyes flew to Rey’s, her face burning red.

“Condoms? You planned to deflower me tonight, Rey?” She glared at him from the corner of her eye, strong enough to burn those close enough. “No. She blew it out of proportion.” Hux slaps his friend on the back, nodding his head. “I told you she was hot! I knew you’d agree!” It was Rey’s turn to smirk at him, his frame cowering slightly at the call out. “Hux, enough man.”

Rey wasn’t sure how to explain this mess, and neither was Ben. The four of them stood there in silence for a few moments until she heard a knock at the door. As if she needed _more_ guests.

Rey ran up the front, swinging it open to find Phasma, Ben’s other best friend, waiting for someone to answer.

“Oh hey- this is weird, you’re Rey- right? I’m Phas, it’s nice to meet you!” She put out her hand, Rey returning the gesture. “Yeah, hi. Um, I hate to be weird but, _what_ exactly are you doing here?” Phasma pulled her phone out, opening the ‘Track my Friends’ app.

“I tracked Hux here- I give him a ride every time he starts drunk texting me.” Rey nodded, hearing heavy footsteps approaching.

“Phas? Why are you here?” Ben asks, pushing his hair back. Phasma’s eyes floated between Rey’s and his, a small smirk appearing on her face at the sight of Rey’s red lips and disheveled hair. “I don’t know Ben, what are _you_ doing here?”

“I was actually just leaving. Hux is here, you can go grab him from the bathroom.” Phasma nodded, side stepping past Rey and walking down the hall.

“Just leaving, huh? Did you get everything you wanted tonight?” Rey asked, hurt clear in her voice.

“Rey, no, it isn’t like that.”

“Really? Cause what I hear is you making out with me and leaving with no question. Is that not what’s happening?”

Ben looked down, his foot swirling in circles on the floor. “I’m just not ready to tell them anything yet.”

Rey gasped, her hand raising to her throat. The imprint of his fingers seared her skin, the feeling making her shiver. She was angry- but not at him, at herself.

“Hux already knows. I don’t get what you’re saying.”

“He’s drunk- he’ll forget.”

Rey closed her eyes- her breath ragged in her throat. Ben murmured some curse word under his breath, as if he was aware how shitty he sounded.

“Funny how every time you come here you make me regret letting you in. Please, leave.”

“Rey- please, I didn’t mean-“

“I said LEAVE.” She shouts, curt and cold.

At this point, Hux, Phasma, and Rose come out of the hallway- stopping at the doorframe when they saw the position Rey was in, looking as if she was about to cower to the floor.

Ben glances back at his friends, gesturing for them to follow him out the door. Hux kissed Rose goodbye, Rey’s skin burning at the sight. He nodded at Rey as he exited, Phasma touching her arm softly.

“If it makes it any better; whatever he did, I’m really sorry.”

Rey locked the door, forcing the bolt across the hinge until it slammed closed. Rose stumbled over, not sure how to speak to her best friend.

“Do you want to talk about it?’

“No.”

“Maybe later?”

“Maybe.”

“Do you want me to leave you alone?”

“Yes.”

“I love you, Rey.”

“I love you too.”

Rose patted her friends shoulder then made her way to the stairs, clinging to the railing for dear life as she hoisted herself into her room. Rey assumed she fell asleep right when she hit her bed, yet she still made a mental note to check on her before she went to bed herself- if she could at this point.

Now alone, Rey sank to the floor, a sob racking its way through her body. Her hands shook as she let her face fall into them. She didn’t need Ben to be embarrassed of her, she was embarrassed of herself. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have thought he’d change after kissing her?

She wept for her mom, who just watched her from above make the same dumb decision she warned her about.

She wept for her life in New York, a life that she’d have to leave to march around England watching Ben make out with another girl.

But most importantly, she wept for herself- a girl who just proved herself right again; happy endings are only given to special people- and that just wasn’t her.


	6. Across The World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cast/Crew head to London - buckle up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys love this chapter!  
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

Rey had never flown first class before. She’d always wondered about what it’d be like – the reclining seats, chilled bottles of champagne, and the little TVs that swung out of the wall for easy viewing. Checking her luggage was normally something she dreaded, a tedious task that required a patience she wasn’t blessed with. However – First Order Entertainment spared no expense; securing her private security and her own personal bag boy. She almost felt bad dumping her things on him, his smile faltering at the number of bags she came armed with. Rey was known to over-pack – her mom used to call her the ‘Vacation Hoarder’, a name she’d earned from the many trips to and from Scotland they’d make over the summers. A fond memory now, yes, but Rey would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared to leave New York – she hadn’t been back to the city she was raised in since she was 18. After turning of age during her father’s trial, the thought of returning to their home and sleeping in her bed was nauseating. She had planned to study at the University of East London, but decided to flip her life on its head - rejecting her admission, applying for late start at NYU, and using the money her mother left her to buy a one way plane ticket and her first 3 months rent. Maybe this would be therapeutic for her – or maybe she was just trying to make light of a painful situation.

She hadn’t seen Ben since he left her apartment days prior. He’d followed her on twitter, but she never followed back. Rose tried desperately to get her to talk to him, but she couldn’t seem to work up the nerve. Other than that, the only contact they had Rey being CC’d on cast emails.

Jannah stomped onto the plane, bringing Rey out of her daze. The girls smiled at each other, Jannah racing over immediately to sit next to her. They hadn’t been able to spend much time together – Jan worked on other films which kept her pretty busy. As close as they were getting, they still had so much to learn about each other.

“Okay, fill me in. Tell me what’s happened in the great Rey Johnson’s life since I last saw her.” Rey shrugged innocently, her eyes wandering everywhere but her friend. Jannah hooked onto her actions, raising her finger to her lip as if she was drawing conclusions. “Rey…what’s going on?”

Just as Jannah started her probing, Ben sauntered onto the plane in jeans and a black t-shirt. Rey’s breath cut short, her face growing hot at the sight of him. She couldn’t control it, of course – but she was sure Ben knew the effect he had on her. Their eyes met and Rey swore up and down she felt a spark travel up her spine. It was the worst time for it, but she felt as though she was going to puke, in all honesty - but that was beside the point. It passed with a fleeting shadow, his eyes averting away. Zorri flagged him over from the other side of the cabin, her eyes wide with desire. The thought of them together made Rey’s skin burn – but it was ridiculous. She had no claim over Ben, he could do as she wanted. She played it cool, or at least she thought she did, but Jannah wasn’t dumb. Her mouth hung agape; the water bottle she was holding fell to the floor from her hand going slack.

“You and Ben. Shut the hell up – you and Ben?” She scream-shrieked, her knee bumping into Rey’s, electing a slight groan of pain from her mouth. Rey elected not to speak, thinking that pleading the fifth would help her cause and not hurt it. However, Jan was persistent; anyone with a brain knew that.

“If you’re not going to tell me I’m just going to do directly to the source,” She stands up, flipping around to face Ben. “Hey, Ben –“ she croaked, yanking her down by the arm until she collapsed back into her seat. His eyebrow raised at the sight of Rey curled up into a ball, Jan trying to unravel her while laughing softly.

“I’m sorry! But now you have to tell me.” Jannah begged, her pleading tone making Rey’s stomach do flips. She was too embarrassed to recant the story again – the thought of having to tell someone that Ben _actually_ slept with that he kissed her and then got bored had her envisioning different ways she could throw herself out of this plane.

“Rey, come on. Let me in.”

“We kissed.” Rey blurted out; her voice soft under the shield of her arms wrapped around her head.

“You kissed, is that all?”

“Yes. We were interrupted.”

“So, you would’ve gone farther?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“That’s not much of an answer – were you naked? Was he naked?”

“Fuck, Jan – no.” Rey seethed, regretting instantly when she saw the look on her friend’s face. She sat up, crossing her legs. “Hey, I’m sorry. I- Look, it’s so hard to explain. Even I find myself laying awake at night dissecting it, trying to make it make sense. The only problem is that it doesn’t. I’ve ran through it so many times my head hurts, but all I see are big questions marks and unanswered questions. I have no idea what to do and the thought of talking to him about it seems worse than the death penalty.” Jannah let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, her hand coming up to rub her eyes. “Okay, look, walk me through it step-by-step and we’ll go from there. Trust me, I have experience in this field.”

Something about her saying that made the hair on Rey’s arms stand at attention. Wow, that made it so much worse, didn’t it? Was she just another link in Ben’s chain of women he’d conquered? In all honesty, Rey hadn’t thought about that part of this mess – she knew that he had a past with sleeping around, and she was more than aware that Jannah was somewhere on that list – but Rey didn’t want to be. The nausea she thought had finally dissipated rose to the surface, her face turning green the deeper into her spiral she fell.

“I’m going to puke.” Rey stated, throwing herself out of her chair and running to the bathroom. It was all hazy, her vision blurring as her stomach emptied out into the toilet. This was mortifying, yes, but the release of pressure in her body was relieving in a way. She flushed, falling back against the wall. Rey didn’t want to leave this room – the idea of sitting here forever and falling of the face of the earth sounded more pleasing than going back out there. Before she could wallow in her self-pity any longer, there was a knock at the door.

“Rey? Open up.” His voice, deep and raspy – as if he’d just woken up, floated through the door. She bounced to her feet, checking herself in the mirror quickly. A small bowl of mints sat pushed in the back corner of the sink, her hands ripping one and popping it in her mouth before swinging the door open to a concerned Ben. The color in his face washed out at the sight of her, the muscles in his arm contracting softly in an attempt not to move.

“Yes?” She asks, the word coming out curter than she planned.

“Just wanted to make sure you were okay. We take off in a few minutes.”

Rey nods, the mint making her tongue burn slightly. She tossed it around her mouth, her lips pursing slightly in the process. His eyes followed the movement slowly, the sight of them ruined him. Their eyes stayed locked until the flight attendant came over the PA system, her sweet voice booming through the crackling speaker.

“Please make your way to your seats, the flight is about to take off.” Rey was the first to break their staring contest, side-stepping past him to return to Jannah. Her arm brushed his lightly, the friction making her chest pound. He looked down at the floor, trudging past the girls and back to his chair beside Zorri. Poe sat behind them; his chair already reclined slightly to help him sleep. The rest of the cast and crew was already in London - Holdo was filming another film in Wales and would meet us there, and everyone else was hired locally. It was a small group of people, just what Rey wanted.

Jannah raised her hand to stroke Rey’s back, her eyes washed with relief at the sight of her friend returning in once piece. “Hey, if I said something, I’m so sorry.” Rey swatted her hand, dismissing her concerns. “It’s fine, really. I just realized how dumb this is. I mean, here I am overthinking the pattern his fingers made across my waist while he’s probably lining up his first London hook up. This is my career; I need to focus.” She breathed, her hands throwing open her laptop to make some notes on their first day production guide.

“I know what you mean, but you’re allowed to have feelings. Don’t feel like you have to have a wall up, Rey.” She was right, and Rey knew it. One of the things she was best at was developing feelings for people who didn’t give a shit about her. Rey honestly thought she’d left that phase behind in college, but here she was – right back at square one.

“It’s the way he kissed me, Jan – and the scenario we were in when he did it.” Rey starts, her chin falling to rest in her palm. “We were talking for hours about anything and everything. I ended up telling him things I’ve never told anyone.” Her mom’s smiling face flashed through her head, Rey’s eyes burning at the sight. “I played him a song I love, and the next thing I knew he was kissing me. It wasn’t some rough, ‘I’m-here-to-fuck-and-run’ kiss – it was passionate and soft; like he had planned it before. Of course, that could just be me – but he really had me fooled for a second. I really thought that I – well, you know.”

“You thought he could be into you.”

“Yes.”

Jannah sighed, her hands clasping together in her lap. “Look, I don’t know much but I know guys like Ben – and that just isn’t normal for him.”

“What isn’t?” Rey asked, her frame slumping in her seat.

“He doesn’t just ‘kiss’, if that makes any sense at all. He screws a girl and then moves onto the next. What you’re saying makes it sound like he was afraid he’d break you – like he _didn’t_ want to break you.” Her eyes dashed across the cabin to Ben’s, seeing that his were glued to Rey. Jannah wanted to say she was shocked at the clear admiration he held for her friend, but she wasn’t. However, she was worried.

“So, what, do you think there’s something else going on here?” Rey asked, her tone rapidly switching back and forth between hopeful and disappointed.

“I think you should talk to him before you make any more assumptions. You really never know what he’s going to say.” Rey nodded, her mind immediately concocting a plan to get him alone so they could finally clear the air.

“I can tell you one thing for sure, though.” Jan exclaimed quietly, raising her iced coffee to her lips to take a quick swig.

“What?”

“I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he’s looking at you right now.”

* * *

6 hours and multiple pockets of turbulence later, they had arrived in London. The hum of the city was all to familiar to Rey, her eyes closing to take in the air when they stepped off the plane. She was grateful to be home in a way – maybe this was just what she needed. The others, however, were not as chipper as she was; Jan and Poe were exhausted and demanded the driver take the to the hotel to nap. Ben was indifferent, his face jammed in his script – and Zorri passed the time by watching him do so. Rey would be the first to admit, it was nice to see him paying such close attention to her body of work; but she wished he’d just look up once so she could asses the look in his eyes.

The car came to a halt, opening to reveal a set of grand white double doors with black detailing – the kind of door that a fancy hotel that Rey would never have been able to afford before this. It was mesmerizing, to say the least – a feet that didn’t seem to amuse everyone else. Poe and Jannah immediately dashed through check in, grabbing their key cards and making their way to their rooms. It was just Rey, Ben, and Zorri now.

“Rey, come over here.” Zorri quipped, nodding her head in the direction of the girl’s restroom. “Ben, we’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” She said sweetly, her eyes drooping like a sad puppy. He didn’t seem to notice – or care, for that matter; unlocking his phone to text someone.

The girls made their way through the door, Zorri prancing to the mirror to touch up her lipstick. Rey analyzed her face; she was quite pretty, soft brown hair cascaded off her shoulders and her face was almost perfectly constructed. Rey would be jealous normally, and she probably was deep down, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it.

“Okay, I need a favor boss lady. I promise in return I’ll study my lines extra hard tonight, so I don’t bomb the table read tomorrow.” She said, blotting her face with a makeup brush.

“Um, okay. What’s up?” Rey asks, curiosity getting the best of her.

“I need you to get Ben to go out with me.”

Rey’s breath hitched in her throat, an erratic cough flying out of her mouth. She bent over to catch her breath, gasping for air. Zorri stared at her in shock, her had raising to pat her back. “Girl, are you okay?”

“Mhm, solid. Anyway, you want me to what?” The panic that she felt was surely palpable in the air, her chest rose and fall with the overcharged beat of her heart. There was no way this was happening right now – although, Zorri had no idea her and Ben kissed, so how surprised could Rey really be that she thought Ben was into her?

“Everyone else is asleep, and I think this is a great chance for me to grab a drink with him. He trusts you! It’s obvious! So, help me. I want to be able to thank you for helping me bag Mr. Ben Solo at our ABC televised wedding.” At this point, Rey was pretty sure she was turning blue. If she fell to the floor right now, it would probably hurt less than the conversation she was having right now.

“Um, yeah – I can do that.” She stuttered with every word, he shaking hands coming up to brush the hair from her face. Zorri clapped, clutching her purse to her chest. “You’re the best! Let’s do it now!” She grabbed Rey by the wrist, dragging her back out to the lobby to a less-than-interested Ben. He didn’t even give Zorri a second glace, his eyes immediately landing on Rey’s. She tried to shoot him a warning look, but he didn’t pick up on it. They didn’t know each other well enough to have passing glances memorized.

Rey didn’t speak, her hands cupped behind her back. Zorri elbowed her softly, egging her on.

“Oh, um, I’m really tired you guys. I think I’m going to head to sleep as well.” Zorri faked puppy eyes the best she could, but the effort was quite noticeable. “No! Rey, come on, we just got here! Let’s go out!” Ben’s eyes darted between the two girls – he wasn’t totally sure what this exchange was supposed to be. He was an actor, of course, and could very easily tell that Rey was lying through her teeth. She couldn’t make eye contact with him; every time their gazes met, she looked down.

“No, Zorri – thank you for the offer but really, I’m exhausted. Maybe you and Ben should go out?” The two looked at each other, hopefulness on Zorri’s face and slight, but tamed, irritation on Ben’s. Rey tried her hardest to look away, but her eyes always floated to his whether she liked it or not.

“How ‘bout it Ben? Do you want to grab a drink with me?” He immediately looked at Rey, as if asking her for permission. Zorri was to elate at how well their interaction was going to notice this exchange – Rey’s hands trembling at her side, Ben trying with all of his might not to reach for one. They weren’t even together, but there was something there; they both knew it. As to what that was, neither knew. She blinked, smiling at Zorri to clear the air.

“You should go,” she says, Ben drinking in her every word – disappointment flashing across his face, as if the answer she gave me wasn’t the one he wanted. “It would be fun.” He nodded, telling Zorri silently that they should head out. She turns to look at Rey, throwing a small thumbs up before following him out the door.

Rey felt drained. Her chest heaved with every breath, and her legs felt as though they weighed a million pounds. This was a new form of emotional torment that she wasn’t sure how to handle – she was dumb to think Ben would reject Zorri’s offer. Placing herself in his shoes, that was clear. As much as she wished he’d come flying back through that door, she allowed herself to admit defeat. The elevator dinged open, Rey stepping in and hitting the 32nd floor. It was probably around midnight in New York, would Rose be awake? Maybe she could face-time her quickly to see how things were.

The silent trek down the hall gave her a second to collect herself before opening the door to her room and making the call. Her keycard made the lock flash green, the switch turning softly. Her hand grasped the knob, flipping it to enter what Rey was sure could be an exact replica of the Queen’s quarters. Marble top counters started in the living room, curving around the first wall. A large mirror hanging above them. To her left was a small kitchen – complete with a fridge and other cooking appliances. Her feet carried her through the small apartment, discovering the master bedroom with a connected bathroom last. The bed was something out a movie, ironically. All white with a sleek black frame. She wanted to throw herself on it, bury her face into the pillow and forget the past 8 hours. The idea was tempting, but even she knew it would only make her spiral further. Instead, Rey pulled her laptop from one of her bags that had been delivered – booting it up to call Rose. She picked up immediately, surprise-surprise.

“Baby! How is the UK? Anything fun yet?”

“Not yet, just landed. How are things at home? I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, you’re okay, Hux is coming over after Phasma’s show tonight so I’m up. How are you sweetie?”

Rey’s jaw locked as if she was eating a sour candy, the past few hours coming back up like the contains of her stomach did on the plane. She wanted nothing more than to vent to her friend about what had happened – but would that be a good idea?

“Um, I’m fine. The plane ride was rough, but we got through it. I told Jan what happened with Ben, she was really nice about it.”

Rose nodded, knowing that Rey had left out some information that was crucial to the timeline. “That’s good, I’m glad Jannah was cool with it. I figured she would be, though – her and Ben were never an item anyways. Anything else you want to tell me?”

Rey opened her mouth, nothing coming out. Maybe she shouldn’t have called and just fell into her spiral alone – like she planned.

“Ben and Zorri are out on a date, and I may have been the one who set it up.”

Rose closed her eyes, a long sigh pushed from her lips. She knew her best friend was oblivious, but she didn’t know it was this bad. “You did _what?_ ”

“She asked me to help her and I didn’t know what to do. She’s really into him, Rose – like, almost infatuated. There was no way I could tell her the truth, so I just went with it! You should’ve seen Ben’s face, oh my God. I’ve never wanted to throw myself out a window more than I do now.” Rey threw her face in her hands, embarrassment swarming her. Rose wished she could hug her through the phone. Her best friend’s pain was her pain as well – and she knew that Rey was hurting even though she refused to acknowledge it.

“Sweetie, why don’t you just tell him how you feel.”

“Because I don’t know how I feel. This could very easily just be a schoolgirl crush that will dissipate a few weeks from now. I refuse to open my mouth knowing that he’ll just laugh at me.”

“And what makes you think he’s going to laugh at you? You don’t even know how he feels.”

“He’s Ben Solo, Rose. I think I have an idea.”

Rey closed her eyes, the want to continue discussing him dying slowly. What was the point anymore? She’d just keep digging and digging for signs that he just wasn’t sending her. She was hurting herself but couldn’t stop – because she wanted him to be worth the hurt. But alas, here she was talking to her friend halfway across the world about a boy that was currently out with another woman.

“Hun, Hux just buzzed in so I have to go. This conversation isn’t over, are we clear?” Rey nodded, softly. “Yes ma’am. I’ll be here.” The girls exchanged a quick ‘I love you’, Rose kissing the camera before hanging up – leaving Rey in silence again. This wasn’t how she planned on spending her first night in London, but it would just have to do. She dialed room service, ordering a cup of tea and some cookies. This was a chance to get ahead on her notes for set – and she was glad for the distraction. Throwing herself into her work, she managed to tune out her thoughts for a bit. The peace was nice – for once.

* * *

It was midnight at this point, and Rey was more than content with the work she got done. Six cups of tea and a sleeve of cookies later, she’d managed to fly through the table read agenda, set notes, and write a cute welcome aboard letter for each member of the cast. It was nice to accomplish her work again – a thing she hadn’t done much of since she met Ben. Of course, she couldn’t totally blame that on him – she played a share of the game between them, but tonight she decided she was done. This was the last time she’d let a guy control her life like this; Rey was ready to make her movie the best it could be – and that didn’t require some guy to want her.

Her victory speech was interrupted by a hand pounding on her door, the sound making her jump.

“Rey, let me in. I know you’re awake.”

Oh God. Out the window went the victory speech, her feet taking her to the door before her brain told them too. She threw it open to find a surprisingly sober Ben standing before her – still draped in that damn black shirt, except now he had a black coat over it. The chill of the London air did him nicely, his cheeks slightly rosy and the chap on his lips giving them a soft pink hue. His eyes dragged down her from top to bottom, the realization that she was only in a t-shirt and underwear sinking in. She kicked herself mentally, swinging the door open further to let him inside.

“Sorry, If I had known I was having guests over I’d have dressed better.”

“No, you’re okay. I’m sorry for just showing up here.”

They stood there, 5 feet apart – staring at each other. No words were exchanged, no advancements or gestures. They couldn’t seem to figure out how to address each other.

Rey broke the silent, coughing first to clear her throat. “How was your date?”

He scoffed, running his hand through his hair – like the way Rey did the other day. “It wasn’t a date, just drinks. And it was fine, she’s nice and all.”

“And all? That’s not very promising.”

He tilts his head slightly, their eyes never breaking contact. “Did you want it to be? I wasn’t aware you were playing cupid.”

Her face went red – she knew she couldn’t play this off. He was the actor here, not her.

“She wanted to go out with you, I helped her. I’m sorry it didn’t go well.”

He took a step forward, Rey returning it with a step backwards.

“Are you? You looked like you were going to puke – again – earlier.” She looks down, the blush on her cheeks now deepening to the shade one would have after a day in the sun.

“I’m just not feeling well. That’s all.”

Again, one step closer for Ben – one step backwards for Rey.

“And all that stuff with Jannah on the plane? Are you ever going to tell me what that was about?”

“I told you, I’m not feeling well. I just need some rest.”

At this point, Rey’s black pressed up against the wall and Ben’s body stood alarmingly close, the warmth he so often radiated engulfing her body. He didn’t touch her – she knew her skin would ignite with even the slightest grasp.

There was no way out of this, she noticed. But she wasn’t sure if she even wanted a way out.

“Rey, we need to talk.”

“About?”

His head lured in closer, minty breath with a hint of scotch brushing over her cheek. If he kissed her now, there would be no stopping the inevitable. She was ready to give it all up tonight, as sad as that sounds.

“You know what about. The other night – we really need to figure this all out.”

She didn’t respond, her hand raising up to rest on his cheek. His frame locked at her touch, the burn he felt from her fingers dancing across his skin was enough to kill him.

Eventually, she whispered back to him. “Figure what out? I don’t know what it is that you want.”

His eyes had drooped shut from the way she caressed his face – the calming feeling made him want to stay in this position forever.

_“You. I want you.”_

She thought she was hearing things, In all honestly. The doubt she felt faded away at the feeling of his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her into his chest. They weren’t kissing – just holding each other. Her hand still rested on his face, the other finding purchase on his arm.

“Ben, what does that even mean.” Her voice was weak, afraid that if she spoke to loud, he’d leave.

“I want you – now. All of you, here.” Oh _God,_ Rey knew this was a bad idea. How would this effect their work? They still had a whole 3 months stuck together, would the events of just one-night ruin all of it?

“Say yes.” He murmured, placing a soft kiss on her neck. She groaned, the twitch in her legs noticeable to both her and him. “Yes, to what?” The question she needed a specific answer to floating out.

“Say yes to getting on that bed and-“

_“OPEN THE DOOR!”_

Rey jumped from his arms, and he didn’t blame her. They both looked at each other as if the wind had been sucked from their lungs, wondering who the hell was here so late. Rey glanced at him – silently begging him to get it. He nodded, advancing to the door to open it slightly.

“Ben? Am I in the wrong room? Where’s Rey?”

The voice – that they now knew belonged to Jannah, called out into the room. “Rey? You here?”

She stepped into the hall, making herself seen. Jannah’s eyes widened at the sight of them both together, her brow furrowing in amusement. “I am so sorry you two, didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” The steam coming from Ben’s ears was almost noticeable – he was pissed, to say the least. Rey would’ve been humored by it had she not felt the same, just not as strong as he did. Oh, how she wanted so badly to hear him finish that sentence - to know what he wanted her to say yes too.

“What is it Jan?” Rey asked sweetly, the sound making the red in Ben’s face drop a couple shades. She stepped into the room, her laptop and binder in hand. “We have a slight emergency. Your updated version of the script, the one with the added…you know, physical contact?” Jan’s eyes sweeping between Ben and Rey to watch their reaction. “It’s gone. The draft of it disappeared, and it has to be done by the meeting tomorrow.” Rey closed her eyes to keep from exploding, her fists balled her side. _Of course,_ this had to happen now.

“So, what now? Do I have to go in and add it again?”

“Yes,” Jannah mutters, guilt for interrupting apparent in her tone. “Immediately, I’m afraid.”

Ben shifted to look at Rey, his eyes apologetic. He felt bad for her, of course. But he felt much worse for himself – he wasn’t sure how long he could wait to feel her again, and he knew that was selfish. He lowered his mouth to her ear, his voice husky with want.

“Later. You know where to find me.”

And with that, he smiled at Jannah before taking off again. Rey felt as though she was going to collapse – like gravity was failing her.

Jannah locked the door behind him, flipping around with her mouth hanging open.

“Okay, you have 5 minutes to spill everything. I need to know NOW.”

And for once in her life, Rey was ecstatic to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be JUICY, y'all. You wanted Rey and Ben content and I aim to please. :) stay tuned!


	7. Like a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the first Table Read, Ben and Rey head back to the hotel to have some long awaited alone time. (if ya catch my drift).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did! This only marks the beginning of fun time between everyone's favorite hot messes. :) 
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!

This was Rey’s first professional table read – so you’d think she’d be paying attention. Every now and then she’d tilt her head to whoever was talking, nodding in approval with the best ‘yes-I’ve-been-watching-I-promise’ look she could muster. They were doing a great job, that’s all she needed to know. Jannah clapped whenever they pulled off a scene well so the ‘positive encouragement’ front was covered, at least. Rey so desperately wanted to be engrossed in this, but she couldn’t take her eyes off _him_.

Ben knew it, too – his eyes grazing hers when he wasn’t reading his lines. It felt as though he was setting her on fire without contact, which only made her wonder what it would feel like when he actually touched her.

Behind all of this, Rey did question how their relationship would change after last night. She wanted him, no question, but did he want her the same? She now officially knew he wanted in her pants – she took no offense to that because she wanted in his just as much, but would he desire her as deeply as she did him? Would he want to hold her hand in public, or go see Sunday morning movies in an empty theater with her? She didn’t need to say much out loud, the expression on her face saying enough.

“Rey, you good?” Jannah asked, snapping in her face. Rey jolted in her seat, her hands coming up to brush her hair out of her eyes. The cast giggled silently, Ben smiling softly in her direction. God how badly she wanted this to be over.

“Okay, that about wraps up today’s session. Tomorrow we’ll crack into the other half of the script- bring your big kid pants, the adult scenes are tomorrow.” Poe cracked on, assigning tasks to his assistants. Jannah scribbled down his words into her notepad, flashing Rey a wave before leaving with the rest of them to get started.

“Anything to add, Ms. Johnson?” Poe asked, the room turning their attention towards her.

“You all were incredible. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn everything you could about the story that I love so much and the characters that make it what it is. I’m very proud! I’ll see you all tomorrow, I assume?” She blabs out, stuttering on every other syllable. They all nodded, collecting their scripts and exiting the room. Rey assumed they’d all be getting lunch together, but she wasn’t really in the mood; deciding to hang back to get some quiet time in – maybe do some more writing or take some notes for tomorrow so she could actually pay attention.

“Your concentration face is almost as cute as your ‘I’m-going-to-punch-you’ face, by the way.”

Leaning up against the door frame with his arms crossed stood Ben, his face covered by one of those smirks Rey was always so weak over.

“That’s a pretty nice compliment coming from someone that seems to see a lot of the punching face.”

It took all of her not to launch out of her chair and into his arms but keeping her cool sounded like the better option. Maybe he noticed, his long legs carrying him into the room to take a seat next to her. Rey felt her face begin to burn, her fists clenching at her sides. Just the sight of him – the muscles in his arms constricting under the black t-shirt, or the black jeans that hugged his lower half just right – made her insides twist.

Rey closed her eyes tight, internally screaming at her brain to shut the hell up. When she looked up at him again, his gaze is locked on hers. “You did some amazing work; The revised script is great for only being a few hours old. Did you get any sleep?” His hand danced a bit closer to Rey’s on the arm rest, which could have been on accident, but she chose to live in her grand delusion that it was purposeful. “Not really, Jan ordered a pitcher of iced coffee every hour. But, in between her editing the parts I wrote – I started a new story.” He raises an eyebrow, impressed at the speed at which she worked. “Well, then I guess you’re going to be too busy for me now, huh?” Shaking her head, no; Rey downed the last of the water in her bottle. He laughed as she slammed it down without thinking. “Am I boring you, Rey?” He asks, that damn smirk taking over his face. He knows he’s not, and the idea that he’d even think something that dumb baffles her. “Oh, never- just trying to wash out the coffee.” He laughs softly, checking the watch on his wrist for the time. “Do you want to catch a ride with me back to the hotel? We can order food and bully each other further, if you’d like.” She nods, collecting her belongings before following him out into the hall. His legs were so much longer than hers, placing him in front of her without even trying. Rey took this chance to analyze him while he couldn’t see where her eyes wandered.

His wavy hair sat perfectly atop his head, but as the morning went on a couple strands fell onto his forehead. He continued to brush them back but the harder he laughed, the easier they found themselves there. She assumed he had shaved a couple days ago, his face smooth for the most part but hair danced across his chin and jawline, making her stomach flip at the thought of it grazing her inner thigh as he…well, she didn’t need to engage that thought any further.

All of that was minimal compared to his hands. She’d noticed them time and time again but as she’d learned from their last encounter, up close was a totally different experience. The veins that slid down his hands in zig zag patters were an art piece in her eyes, and the length of his fingers made her swallow a lump in her throat, the curiosity as too what they could do to her taking over. Rey allowed her eyes to drift upwards to his lips, plump and wet as if he’d just licked them. She wanted to reach out and touch them tenderly, just to see if they were as soft as they looked. Who were she kidding? Of course, they were – she should know at this point. She shook her head at herself, and clearly, he noticed, laughing quietly at her expense. “Anything on your mind, Rey? You seem a little distracted.” She wasn’t sure if he actually wanted to know the answer to that question or if he was just poking fun at her, and the thought of him being creeped out by her constant staring made her want to rip her hair out. She shook her head no, training her eyes straight ahead in hopes of avoiding another staring match between them. Ben turns the corner, coming to face the elevator. His hand came out to hit the down switch, the doors opening instantaneously. The small space was lit by a dim red bulb and the music that normally hummed quietly in such a scenario was off today. Maybe it was broken, but she wasn’t sure. He gestures her ahead of him, giving her a chance to take a deep breath and calm down.

_Breath, Rey. You’re making this so uncomfortable._

He follows, hitting the lobby button. They were on the top floor of the high-rise studio and entertainment center, which meant that the ride down was longer than most. Rey leaned her back against the bar behind her, hoping to relieve some of the tension in her chest. In doing so, Rey’s dress hikes up ever so slightly, revealing the floral vine tattoo she got a few years back. Flowers were scattered down the design, and it wrapped up her thigh onto her hip. Her face went red, her hand quickly flying to the hem of the dress to yank it down. Without notice, Ben’s hand stops her in her tracks.

“You didn’t tell me you had a tattoo on your leg? It’s beautiful.” He says, the breath in her throat hitching at his voice – his tone deeper now, almost raspy. He was close, their legs brushing up against each other’s – his hand still attached to her wrist. Swallowing, she allowed her gaze to meet his. Ben’s eyes were intently trained on Rey’s face, occasionally glancing down to their connected bodies. “Yeah, it’s a few years old. I got it after my dad was convicted. I wanted something to set me free, I guess. I love it a lot.” He smiles, dropping her wrist down gently and lowering his hand, those fingers she was so crazy about tracing the outline of her tattoo, forming circles around the center of the flowers.

“How did I miss this? Just last night you were standing in front of me in your panties.”

“The shirt was long, I guess. It’s always been there.”

His fingers continued at a painfully slow pace until he reached the bottom of the black sundress she wore today. His eyes met hers, asking if he could continue without words. She nodded, the soft touch of his hand on her body sending her to the moon and beyond. His hand slips under the fabric, grazing her upper leg. His thumb pressed into her hip bone, putting just enough pressure to make her back slump further into the wall behind her. Rey wasn’t sure how long had passed with him exploring her body, maybe seconds, all she knew was that she never wanted it to end. Her eyes fluttered closed, taking in every move his hand made. She almost didn’t even notice him moving until the elevator came to a screeching halt.

Rey’s eyes fly open to see him standing by the STOP button, their eyes glued together. She thought she looked crazy, her dress hiked up to her hip, showing the bottom of the black lace panties she wore on a whim. Rey mentally high fived herself for wearing a good bra to match them – thank God she decided to pack them last minute.

“ _Fuck this_.” He sneers, closing the gap between them and smashing his lips onto hers. His hands immediately found her hips, the dress pooling around her waist after he pushed it up further. She let her hands get tangled in his hair, sighing at the imprint his soft locks left on her fingers. His hair was a blessing, and she was sure he knew that.

 _His lips._ The way they felt against hers was heaven on earth, soft but firm at the same time. He knew what he was doing, his tongue brushing against her bottom lip, begging to go deeper. He didn’t hesitate to push further, shifting Rey’s face with his hand to the angle that worked best for him. She allowed her hands to travel to his arms, squeezing his biceps for no reason other than her just wanting to.

Ben was a lot taller than her, so they had to angle their necks in opposite directions to reach each other. The feeling wasn’t great, but she couldn’t care less. Getting to make out with this man in an elevator was worth the ache in the morning. Before she could complain anymore, Ben lightly slapped her legs, pulling away momentarily.

“Jump.” He says, and she obliged. He caught her in his arms, Rey wrapping her legs around his hips while he pushed her back against the wall. She squealed, causing him to laugh against her mouth. He kisses the corner of her lips, working his way hungrily to her neck. Squeezing her eyes shut, Rey tries not to moan in his ear. He bit and sucked small spots along her neck, blowing cold air on them afterwards. Rey shivered at the feeling, making her grip on his arms tighten. He dragged his tongue down to her décolletage, leaving small kisses just above the neckline of her dress. He hummed against her skin, the vibrations causing a feeling to erupt inside of her that she knew she couldn’t control. Just as he was about to pull her dress down, the elevator switches back on. He pulls away from her in confusion, looking around to see how that could’ve happened. She heard the ding, meaning they had reached the lobby. Rey quickly adjusted her dress, trying not to flash anyone who may be outside. He smirked at her, lowering his mouth to her ear.

“You’re not going to your room today.” She lifted her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow in response. “Oh really? Well then where am I going?” He takes her hand, gesturing her to follow him. Finally, he turns to face her before continuing to walk, getting so close she could feel his breath on her face.

“I’m going to fuck you in any way I want, how I want, and as many times as I want.”

She gulped, the red in her cheeks flooding into the rest of her face. Rey never thought in her wildest dreams that someone would be saying this to her – let alone Ben Solo. She had heard from others before that he was so levelheaded, like he enjoyed missionary sex on a Sunday and never pushed too hard in fear of hurting whoever he was with. After meeting him, she pitied those who thought that, it being obvious that he was into the kind of things you’d find in a Fifty Shades book. Rey couldn’t help but feel childish compared to him. He was so experienced; he’d traveled the world and slept with whoever he wanted. Meanwhile, she spent most of her time in New York State and the only action she ever got was after bad Tinder hook ups.

He pulls her out to the street, a black Rolls Royce Phantom pulling up to greet them. Ben opens the door, allowing her to sit down in the far seat. The driver nodded at him as he placed himself next to her. This car was amazing, all leather interior and slim white lights traced the inside doors. First Order Entertainment clearly enjoyed using their money in ways she didn’t really understand, but who was Rey to complain about the company financing her movie.

His hand slid up her leg, distracting her from her thoughts. He rested it on her inner thigh, the heat in her face becoming borderline painful – but at this point she couldn’t care less. He gripped her skin tightly, swirling his thumb in circles dangerously close to where she craved him. A small hiss escaped Rey’s mouth, earning a quiet chuckle from him. Ben leaned forward, tapping the driver on the shoulder.

“You mind closing the partition?” The driver nodded calmly, flipping the switch next to him to close the glass barrier between the front seats and the back. The hair on her arms raised instantaneously, the reality of the events playing out in front of her setting in. Was Ben about to fuck her in the back of a Rolls Royce? The thought made her head spin, the shaking in Rey’s hands only growing stronger. Before she could even notice, he was on the floor of the car, which was quite spacious – something Rey didn’t notice until now. Kneeling right between her legs, His hands lift them, eyeing her shoes cautiously. “Red Bottoms, huh?” She cocked a smile in his direction, resting her foot in his grasp. “Favorite shoe. I normally don’t let anyone touch them, consider yourself lucky.” He smirks, spreading her legs just far enough to let him in further. “Oh, trust me, I’m feeling quite lucky today.”

He starts placing soft kisses along her ankles, working his way up past her knees. Those stupid lips of his dragged up her being, his teeth sinking into her thighs, leaving little bites as he went made her skin burn. She wanted so badly to moan out loud, having never been one that’s very good at keeping quiet. He noticed, eyeing her as she squirmed beneath him.

“No noise, baby. The partition isn’t exactly soundproof.” He mumbles against her skin, his breath causing a shiver to race down her spine. The closer he got to her center the harder it was for her to keep herself together. The muscles in his arm flexed as he spread her legs even further, already taking the liberty of resting them on top of his shoulders for a better angle. His touch was insidious, calculated and planned. Everywhere his hands landed sent a surge of energy to her core. The whimpering she thought was quiet was not, and his hand came up to cover her mouth in a haste.

“Quiet or I’ll make you quiet. Clear?” She nodded, watching him return to his spot. Ben hooks his hand into her panties, his eyes darkening at the sight of the wet spot on the lace. He knew what he was doing to her, and he enjoyed it immensely. Slowly, he tugs them down, letting them fall to the car floor. The devilish look in his eyes only egged her on further, just the sight of him driving her nuts. His finger softly ran down her slit, gathering her wetness at the base of her cunt. Such a small action made the goosebumps that had finally subsided return at full force. He lowers his head, softly kissing her clit. He pulled back, his lips glistening with her arousal. If her eyes could roll back into her head, now would be the time they’d do so. Ben’s face read hers, trying to gather how she was feeling. Pleased with the effect he had on her; he dips his head back down with a new energy. His tongue danced along her, swirling around her clit in figure-8s. The way her back arched was almost unnatural, her hands gripping his hair for support. She’d never been good at keeping her legs apart, every time someone would go down on her it was impossible for her to not slam her legs shut. It was almost as if her body couldn’t handle the feeling, and every guy she’d been with before was just average. This was euphoric though, and she knew she wouldn’t last long - her legs began to shake the minute he began. Catching her breath, she pleaded with the man before her.

“Please, _Ben_ , I don’t know if I can take _anymore_.” He didn’t seem to care, his arms wrapping around her hips and pulling her closer, his mouth now taking in all of her at alarming rates. She had no idea how strong he was, his grip made squirming and moving away impossible. Her legs twitched uncontrollably around him, his tongue continuing to dance around her pussy. He bobbed his head up and down slightly to create that friction she so desperately craved, the action almost killing her. She wasn’t sure if it could get any better than that until he released her hip with his left hand, slipping his middle and index finger into her and curling them to get as deep as possible. She gasped, fisting his hair in her hand so hard her knuckles went white. He kitten-licked her clit as his fingers worked their magic, pounding in and out of her. The sweat she knew was beading at her hairline began to slip down her head, warmth gathering in her stomach in a way that only happened when she was close. He pulled his mouth away, blowing cold air where his tongue was.

Sitting up on his knees, Ben grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her forward. He was so close to her face, his forehead pressed up against her’s, his fingers still working on her, going deeper with every second.

“I want you to look me in the eyes when you cum, baby. Look away and I stop. Are we clear?” She nodded quickly – thinking he’d let her go, but he held her there. Her short breaths mixed with his and his body heat radiated into hers. His eyes never left hers, the contact sending her nerve endings to newfound heights. His movements got harder, and she could hear just how wet she was. He gave her that award winning smirk again, enjoying the sound of what he was doing to her. She was so close, and he knew that. He pulled his fingers out in a rush, causing her to whimper at the noticeable loss. Before she could verbally complain, he raised them to her clit, rotating in fast circles that made her throw her body into his chest. Resting her head on his shoulder for support, he rubbed tenderly, yet rough in the best kind of way while supporting her frame. It was indescribable with words, and she knew she was seconds away from cumming all over his hand in a way she’d never done before.

“B-Ben, I-I’m close.” He didn’t need to be told anything else, his eyes meeting hers again.

“Come on baby, cum all over my hand. Show me how good it feels.” His words were all she needed, the climax waving over her made her legs stiffen and her head roll back onto the seat. He was playing her body like an instrument, like he knew exactly what to do and where to do it. He pulled his hand back, slipping his fingers between his lips and sucking. Her mouth hung agape, completely taken aback by what he just did – no guy she’d ever been with made her feel that good. The look on his face mixed with the way he gripped her leg tightly with his free hand just turned her on even more, if possible. “God you taste good, I’m hoping that wasn’t my last time doing that.” He softly kisses her lips, the taste of spearmint toothpaste and her arousal coming through the exchange. He quickly sits down in the seat next to her, pulling her on top of his lap. The dress sat at her waist for the second time today, allowing her exposed bottom half to spread evenly over him.

“You know, we probably shouldn’t be doing this in a car that we don’t own, right?” She protests, the faintest sound of embarrassment in her voice. “I don’t want to make the driver uncomfortable.”

Ben rolled his eyes, his grip on her hips tightening as the car curved around a corner. “He didn’t even notice, and if he had – I’m sure he wouldn’t have cared, I know I wouldn’t mind getting to watch you cum.” Rey slapped his chest, her hand resting there for comfort after. She loved this side of him – something she’d never tell him, of course. Rey tended to be more serious, someone who never really allowed herself to be free or wild. Ben brought out that side in her, he made her forget about all the things she’d normally lose sleep over. If that was a good thing or a bad thing, she was still deciding.

“Baby, I think we’re here. Come with me.” Ben helped her off his lap, fixing her dress back to its normal position. As the car came to a sudden stop in front of the hotel, Rey reached to pick up her underwear from the floor. Before she could reach it, Ben swatted her hand out of the way. “Leave it – it’ll be a treat for the next person.”

Before Rey could protest and further, Ben yanked her from the car and into the lobby, dashing across the room into the elevator faster than she’d ever seen him run.

“In a rush, I see?” She chirps, allowing her hands too grip his forearm tightly – probably out of fear that he’d leave.

“Aren’t you?” He asked, grabbing her wrist to pull her in closer. “Don’t you want me?” He asked jokingly, a smile forming.

Rey could feel her face contort into a wicked smile, her left leg wrapping around his. “If you make it worth my while, I will.”

* * *

Ben opened the door to his room with one hand, the other holding Rey’s neck in place as they stumbled into the hotel room. He kicked it closed with his foot, returning his full attention to the woman in front of him. They stood there for a bit, entangled limbs and harsh breathing – neither of them felt the need to move, so lost in each other’s touch. Rey’s hands moved from his neck, fumbling with the hem of his shirt. She pulled it over his head, breaking their kiss. Her eyes immediately flew to his chest, his build being one of the best she’d ever seen. She vaguely knew what he looked like shirtless from the movies he’d filmed, but that was nothing compared to how he looked standing in front of her. The way the sun beamed from his skin, and how the twinkle in his eye contorted into something darker at the sight of her made the blood pumping through her chest race faster. Ben took the chance to attach his lips to her neck, a breathy gasp coming from her mouth.

“You’re going to be the _death_ of me, you know.” He mumbled against her skin, his fingers finding the hem of her dress and pulling it upwards. “If you only knew how much I’ve pictured how you’d _look in front of me_.”

Rey’s heart felt as though it was going to leap from her chest, the pressure rising to an insurmountable level. If only he knew how much she’d pictured him – the images of him that would flash past her eyes at random times; the way she craved to feel his hands on her again.

“The feeling is mutual, I promise.” And for the first time she realized, it was mutual. They both wanted each other in a way she couldn’t quite explain in words… But she could show him. It was her turn to do so.

“I want you.” She whispered softly, his tongue still grazing her neck.

“And I want you too, thank you for confirming.” Rey rolled her eyes, her hand grabbing a fistful of his hair before yanking him upwards so their eyes locked.

“No, I want you. I want to do something to you now.” Her face turned red, no doubt – but Ben didn’t seem to care, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. “You don’t have too, you know. I’m totally fine with fucking you into next week.” Rey coughed, the statement making a shiver go down her spine. “I know you are, but I want too. Is that okay?” He nodded in return, loosening his grip on her. Rey sank to the floor, her eyes never leaving his as she did so. Her hands shook slightly, probably from nerves – but she’d never felt surer of something in her life. He did the hard part, taking of his belt and unbuttoning his pants. Rey knew she was in for it when he was just left in his boxers, the outline of his cock prominent under the fabric. She couldn’t help but gulp, her throat already starting to ache before even beginning.

It wasn’t second nature to her, of course – but she knew enough to handle her own. Yanking his boxers down, his errection slapped against his stomach. She bit her lip, imagining how he’d feel inside of her – Ben thinking the same, of course.

Without a moment’s hesitation, her hands grasp his shaft, her touch forcing a loud gasp from his lips. Pumping up and down slowly, she came to terms with the fact that she wouldn’t be able to fit it all in her mouth. However, Rey always loved a challenge – leaning forward, she took as much of it as she could in her mouth, dragging her tongue around the tip in circles. His moans vibrated through his body, only encouraging her more. She bobbed her head up and down, leaning against his leg for support. It wasn’t long before the wetness began to pool between her legs once again – she was almost _embarrassed_ by the effect he had on her, how his moan alone was enough to kill her.

_“Shit, Rey – fuck, you’re so good at that.”_

She figured so, his hands coming up to clasp her hair tightly in a fist. Using this leverage, he controlled the speed her head moved. God, even the way he dictated her movements turned her on. There was no going back after this.

She hummed around his cock, the feeling contracting the muscles in his torso. Ben had never gotten head like this before, glorious in a way without any crazy tactics or unnecessary actions. Just her – and that _pretty little_ mouth.

 _“Dammit Rey – I’m gonna’ cum if you keep doing that.”_ His voice, raspy in the best way, sinks through her skin. The thought of making him finish only boosted her confidence. She pushes him further in, his tip hitting the back of her throat softly. His knees wobble at the feeling – the way his chest rose and fell at such a rapid pace egging her on further. Rey allowed her hand to pump faster, knowing how close he was. Ben was convulsing over her, as if the air had been sucked from his lungs.

 _“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”_ He cursed, cumming into her mouth without warning. Rey swallowed it all – something she wasn’t sure she was capable of, before releasing his cock from her lips with a pop. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, raising to her feet to get closer. His eyes seemed to grow darker, if possible.

“You’re so good at that, you know. Who would’ve thought that such a little mouth could do so much?” His fingers grazed her lips, admiring how soft they felt under his touch. She stuck her tongue out softly, letting it touch the pad of his thumb. He hissed, closing his eyes tightly. “These lips _belong to me_ – this tongue, _belongs to me_. Are we clear?” _God_ , this man was going to ruin her. Rey nodded, the warmth that radiated between her legs almost too much to bare at this point. “Yes, sir. Crystal.” Ben’s head rose and fell with approval, his hand finding purchase on her neck – all the air Rey had left sucked away the minute it landed there.

“You’ll do as I say, right _baby_?” Ben’s hand held her in place, not too tight – but just enough. “I’ll make you feel good if you listen to me.” Rey nodded before her brain could tell her too, the rush of adrenaline in her system making the decisions for her. Ben smirked, using his free hand to lightly push her back onto the bed. “Scoot back to the pillows for me, baby.” Rey did as she was told, her stomach doing flips the farther back she got. Ben climbed in after retrieving a condom from his wallet, waving it in between his fingers with a short laugh.

“You must have had high hopes for today, huh?” She peeped, crossing her arms over her chest jokingly. His eyes met her, his chest still rising and falling at the same rhythm.

“A man can hope, can’t he?”

Before Rey could respond, he positioned himself above her – placing a soft kiss to her lips. Rey loved this; she couldn’t deny – but God she craved his harsh touch. She wanted him to wreck her, and she knew he wasn’t opposed to the idea.

“You know, you don’t have to be soft with me – I’m okay.” Ben pulled back, his eyes giving her an incredulous look. “Are you asking me to be rough with you, Rey?” She allowed her back to sink further into the mattress, her legs coming up to wrap around him for the second time that day. “Maybe? If I was, would that be such a bad thing?” He looked from side to side as if he was being punked before allowing his eyes to meet hers again.

“Not at all, not at all. Sounds like a dream to me.”

Ben dropped lower, their chests pressed up against each other’s before he plunged inside of her achingly slow, as if he was doing it on purpose. Rey hissed, her nails sinking into his back at the sudden change in position.

_This son of a bitch was trying to make her scream._

Ben continued to move sluggishly, one of his hands resting on her hip while the other played with her tits, rolling a nipple between his fingers. Rey couldn’t complain that much, the way he felt inside of her was something you could only _dream_ for. However, she craved him on a deeper level – she wanted him to do what he pleased with her.

_“Tell me what you want, baby.”_

“Huh?” Rey blabbed out, her breath hitching deep in her chest. It was hard to form words with him touching her the way he was.

“Tell me how much you _want_ me – tell me that you want me to _fuck you so good_ that you can’t walk tomorrow. Come on, tell me exactly how you _want_ it.” He rasped, still moving painfully slow. Rey wasn’t sure how much she could take, her nails still raking down his back to keep from screaming.

“ _God_ , I want it so bad, Ben. Please _fuck me_ so hard – so hard that everyone will know how good you did me at the meeting tomorrow.” Ben’s arms tightened around her, the words flying from her mouth being enough to send him to space.

_“Your wish is my command.”_

Before she could respond, Ben plunged all the way into her – a loud groan erupting from his mouth. Rey bit her lip – probably drawing blood – to control the moan probing its way from her mouth. Ben continued his movements, hips rolling against each other’s with such force that neither of them knew how to speak of. Ben could tell she was holding back vocally, his hand returning to her neck while his eyes bored holes in hers. “I want to hear you, okay? I want the people next door to know who’s making you _feel this good_. Don’t make me tell you again.” Rey nodded, slapping his arms to make him continue.

She never wanted this to end – the way he pounded into her set her soul on fire. The headboard slammed into the wall, matching the rhythm as to which he was making her his own. Rey’s hands traveled from his back to the back of his neck, pulling him closer so their breath mixed. Ben nudged his face into the crook of her neck, his tongue drawing soft circles on her shoulder while he moved in and out of her. Rey was entrapped by him; the way his hair stuck to his forehead from the sweat, how his lips flashed a shade of red to match hers. He was beautiful this way – well, he was _any_ way, but especially like this. The moans escaping from her mouth made him hit harder, eventually finding her g-spot. The sensation made her back arch, pressing into him closer than she thought possible,

“So tight, _fuck- you feel so good_.” He groaned, lifting her leg up to rest over his shoulder as he did in the car. His thrusts were so deep this way, her moans quickly turning into screams of his name.

“Ben – _fuck, Ben_ – you’re so damn good to me.” She muttered, the words not coming out exactly right. Her vision was hazy, the repeated pattern of his thrusts knocking the wind from her.

“Yeah? You like when I have my _way with you, huh_?” His voice reverberating through the room, heavy with power. “ _How much_ ” – his hand slapping her ass cutting his sentence off, the shock of it making Rey’s eyes screw shut. “Do you like it, baby. _Tell me how much_.”

“So, _fucking_ much, god you’re going to make me cum. I’m _begging_.” She pleads, his hips still slamming into hers with a passion she was sure no one could match.

“You’ll cum when I let you.” He growls, only pushing her closer to a cliff he wasn’t going to let her jump from. Ben enjoyed this immensely, knowing how every little thing he did affected her. The feeling of her legs shaking underneath hers almost pushed him over the edge – something he’d craved from her for some time now.

Rey’s whole body was convulsing, the ability to fight her orgasm becoming harder and harder with each thrust he pushed inside of her.

“ _Please_ , Ben – _please_ – I can’t wait any longer.”

Neither could Ben, his thrusts becoming sloppy with each passing second. He knew he couldn’t deny her any longer – his body was about to give out with hers.

“Okay baby - _cum for me_. Show me how hard that _pretty pussy_ can come around me.” His words pushed her over the edge, a scream flying from a deep place in her throat. Ben came shortly after, his grip on her waist tightening in attempt to avoid banging his head into the wall. Both their eyes glossed over with exhaustion, their bodies melting together. Ben rolled off her, taking the condom off and dropping it into the trash next to her bed. Rey’s chest rose and fell to match his, the cold air from the vent above them causing goosebumps to surge across her skin. She shivered, Ben’s head tilting to look at her.

“You cold?” He asked, Rey’s head nodding back. He lifted his lower half from the bed, pulling the blanket out from underneath them. He pulled it up to her chin, drawing her into his chest for warmth. Rey closed her eyes, the feeling of his strong torso pressed up against her made all the nerves she still felt evaporate instantaneously.

“Ben, can I stay here for a bit?” She asked cautiously, her arms wrapping around his waist to hold him there.

His eyes drifted shut, pressing his lips to her forehead.

“Of course, of course.”


	8. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes - the day after the big bang. Rey wakes up in Ben's bed, remembering how she got there in the first place. Where to go from here... *insert dramatic transition music here*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit small - I'm trying to work up to a big THING in the next chapter or so which is why this one is a bit lack luster. But, it's sweet- so take the fluff and love it. :) 
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!  
> xo's- Lizzie

The sunlight left scattered patterns across the pillows, the bulk of it shining right into Rey’s eyes as she struggled to wake up. For a brief second, she wasn’t sure where she was - backtracking her steps, it all came back in glorious flashes. His touch, the way his eyes danced across her face - the slight tinge of discomfort between her legs; her memory cleared instantaneously. She smiled softly, turning onto her side to look for him. 

He wasn’t there; odd.

Rey shot up, wrapping the blanket around her torso to shield from eyes that weren’t even there. She looked around, seeing if maybe he had gotten up to run to the kitchen or to use the restroom. Their table read wasn’t for a few more hours, so it couldn’t be that - plus, he’d never leave her here to miss it. She was about to reach for her phone before her eyes landed on a small piece of paper taped to the lamp beside her. 

_Rey,_

_I hate to leave you like this but Hux randomly decided to come to town, so someone had to go get him. I tried to send the car, but I figured he shouldn’t have the honor of sitting in the exact place where we...well, you know._

_I’m dropping him off at the Ritz down the street and then I’ll be back. I have no idea when you’re going to read this so I could be back before you even wake up - in that case, I’ll be the one with my eyes closed right next to you._

_Yesterday was everything. You have no idea._

_See you soon,_

_-Ben_

Rey clutched the note to her chest, afraid that if she let go it would disappear. The feeling erupting in her stomach worried her - she didn’t love him; she had just met him. It wasn’t anything like that, but it was _something._ She shook her head, hoping that the faster she moved the quicker the thought would dissipate. She didn’t want to dive deep now, she was still reveling in the memory of yesterday. 

The key beeping the door open pulled Rey from her thoughts, Ben coming through the door dressed in casual wear. Rey felt the drool pooling in her mouth at the sight of him; grey sweatpants and a black sweater adorned by his tagline messy mop of hair. That was enough to send her to the moon, but his glasses are what pushed it over. She’d never seen him in them before, the black thick rimmed frames added something to his look she didn’t know she needed until now. He looked like every hot nerd she had a crush on in high school - but better, obviously. 

“Hello there, sleeping beauty. You get some rest?” He asked, dropping his keys on the counter before trekking back over to the bed. “Or did you miss me too much?” She giggled, gesturing him to come closer with her finger. 

“I did get some sleep, thank you. Kind of disappointed to wake up and see you gone.” She mused, her breath faltering as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lowering her back down to the pillows to lay on his shoulder. Ben laughed, pressing his lips softly against her temple. “Well, someone had to go get the man - if I had left him there the national guard would’ve been called for a disturbance which only would’ve kept me away from you for longer.” His voice was low, but calm - content, almost. She closed her eyes to soak in it, as if it could wrap around her soul to keep it warm. If there was a way to stay in this moment forever, she would - the idea of having to get out of this bed and present herself to the public was painful to think about. She pushed herself further into his chest, if that was even possible. His grip tightened in response, the two of them laying in complete silence, scared to speak. It was as if they opened their mouths, the world started spinning again and they had to go back to being _Rey Johnson and Ben Solo, entertainers_ \- when all they wanted to be was Rey and Ben, humans.

They were getting too comfortable when Rey’s phone lit up, her phone reading 20 missed texts and 14 dropped calls from Jan and Rose. She cursed under her breath, swinging her legs off the side of the bed, the pads of her feet hitting the cold wood with a jolt. She was naked, she realized - her lack of clothing to wear apparent. She glanced at Ben, who was clearly enjoying the view.

“Do you have anything I can wear, by any chance?”

He smiled, reaching down to the floor and tossing her one of his black sweaters. She put it on, the fabric drooping down past her mid-thigh. Rey laughed; her body being consumed by his clothing was amusing. Ben swallowed hard, his arms coming up to rest behind his head. “Now, I could get used to this.” He quipped, Rey rolling her eyes in response. “Are you going to lay there all day? You know we have a table read soon.” Ben shrugged, turning his back to face her. “You go make your phone calls. I’m going to lay here and pretend you’re still laying here next to me - naked.” _God_ , he was such a child sometimes. A cute child - but a child, nonetheless. 

Rey walked into the bathroom, shutting the door softly while dialing Rose first. She’d hit Jan after. It rang a few times - Rey hoping that for some reason she was busy and couldn’t answer. Her hopes normally failed - and this time wasn’t any different, Rose’s voice beaming over the speaker.

“Well if it isn’t my favorite little slut! How are you?” She said, her voice slick with that stupid tone she carried whenever she was right.

“Excuse me? A slut? I am nothing of the sort!” Rey exclaimed, her free hand wiping the smudged mascara out from under her eyes. She looked bad, her day-old makeup clinging to her skin in the worst ways. God, they must have had sex for hours yesterday - she wasn’t even sure when they fell asleep or how long they slept for. Maybe he wouldn’t mind if she used his shower to clean up a bit?

“I mean maybe not a _slut_ slut, but a Ben Solo slut - isn’t that the same thing?” Rey wished there was a third dimension in which she could deck her friend from a different country, but alas - she had to settle for a vocal rebuttal. 

“I’m not a Ben Solo slut!” Rey yelped, probably too loud - her hand raising to her mouth, slapping it harshly. She could hear Ben in the other room, laughing hysterically. “Yes! Yes she is! I stand behind that!” _God_ , it was like hanging out with two toddlers who barely knew each other. Rey’s brain could not handle the mental torment of dealing with these two - she had enough trouble trying to handle them separately. 

“Look, I won’t keep you long - it’s only 5 over here so I’m still at work – I just wanted to make sure my favorite cow-girl knows how proud I am of her for getting back on the horse and riding to see another day!” Her laugh was wicked, and the sound could easily equate to what Rey assumed scissors to your eyes felt like. 

“I’m not riding anything -” Ben’s sick giggle cut her off, only reminding her how bad she wanted this conversation to end. “Look, I love you Tico - but I really need to go, can we chat later?” Rose said a quick yes, the two exchanging ‘I love you’s’ before hanging up. Rey peaked her head out of the door, finding Ben in the same position she left him. 

“Hey,” she starts, her fingers clutching the door frame for support. “I’m going to hop in the shower - you okay out here?” Ben nodded silently, his body laying still under the sheets. She took this as a yes, shutting the door before cranking the water up to high. She undressed, allowing herself to clutch Ben’s sweater to her chest while his smell engulfed her. It was peaceful - like the fabric could soothe her somehow. She dropped it reluctantly, stepping into the steaming shower. It wasn’t anything crazy; she just washed her hair with his shampoo and lathered her body with whatever soap he had laying around. She was halfway down her torso when the shower door opened, his presence something she couldn’t miss. 

“Why didn’t you invite me in with you?” He hummed, his chest pressing up against her back. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to get lost in his touch. Self-control was something they weren’t very good at - and it was taking a lot of it for her not to jump him now. 

“You looked so comfortable; I didn’t want to bother you.” She whispered, his thumbs drawing circles on her hips. He was a new level of distracting, his touch driving her crazier every time his hands discovered a new place to work on. She flipped around, wrapping her arms under his, resting them on his lower back. The hot water mixed with his soft skin was heavenly - euphoric, almost. 

“Well, aren’t you handsy today. Everything's okay, right?” He muttered, the steam in the shower matting his hair to his head. She nodded, water racing down her back - sending chills through her spine. “Yes, I’m great. Just wish we didn’t have to go out into the world today.” Neither of them wanted to leave this room, why would they? Rey was convinced that the outside world was out to get them, and she craved a day alone with Ben that didn’t involve them screaming at each other. It was something they’d never done before now - spent the day together just to do so. Rey wondered when they’d get the chance to do this again, her face quickly switching into a frown. 

“I know, there’s nothing I’d rather do than throw you back on that bed and keep you all to myself - but we have work, you know. Now get dressed and we’ll go together.” He says, reaching around her to turn the shower off. 

“What am I going to wear? I don’t have any clothes?” Rey asked, the idea of making the trek up to her room feeling impossible. Ben reached down to the floor, picking his sweater up and handing it to her. “Wear this, I’ll run up to your room and grab you some pants.” Kissing her cheek softly, he threw on some clothes before treading out the door to retrieve her belonging. Rey took this time to analyze herself in the mirror, running her hands down her body - the same pace Ben did the day before. It didn’t feel as good when it wasn’t him, a small groan of displeasure falling from her lips. He was setting her expectations far too high - visions of sleeping with someone else flashed past her, inducing nausea as they came. She closed her eyes, stepping out into the living room to cool off. Ben returned seconds later, handing her the light wash jeans she knew sat in the top drawer of her make-shift dresser. 

“Get dressed, okay? We’ll head out after.”

* * *

She felt as though she was going to be sick the whole way to the table read. There was no reason for it, in all honesty, she was just nervous. Ben made sure she chugged some water before they left, but even that wasn’t helping. She felt off for some reason, and the slow elevator ride was not helping.

“You know, we’re going to have to tell Zorri, right?” She muttered, kicking her feet together to pass the time between the lobby and the floor they were meeting on, her skin burning from flashbacks from the last time they stood here.

“Tell Zorri what?” He asks, running his fingers through his hair to tame it. Rey looked up at him, that same glint in his eyes from their interactions before. He always looked so good, at this point it was frustrating. She shook her head, tossing her hands up softly to try and get her point across. “She’s into you, Ben. When she finds out that we’re...” She stopped, trying to find the words to finish her statement without sounding like an idiot.

“We’re what? Having sex? We’re all adults here, baby. I don’t think she’ll care that much.” Ben said, his tone shifting from one of light and balance into a mono toned huff - the same voice he carried that night in her apartment. Rey closed her mouth, clasping her hands in front of her. She bit her lip to stifle the tears threatening to spill over her waterline. He wasn’t wrong - they were just fucking, at this point. He never stated otherwise, and she was dumb to think he would. Ben turned his head slightly, concern flashing across his face at her expression. 

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He asked, resting his hands on her shoulder. She swatted them away, shuffling to the corner of the elevator - hoping that would box her in, somehow. No such luck; Ben stepping in closer until she was pressed up against the wall.

“I’m confused - are you mad at me? Tell me what I did so I can fix it.” Genuine fear laced his tone, like he had no idea why what he said would hurt her. Then it hit her: it _shouldn’t_ even hurt her. It’s not like he said she was his little sex buddy and he didn’t care about her beyond that - he was kind, something not every man could do. But still - his answer left open some holes that Rey really wanted clarified. Would she just need to deal with the fact that Ben just wasn’t that person? That maybe he was great in bed but sucked in relationships? All the thoughts spiraling through her head made her dizzy, that same nausea rising slow but steady.

“Rey? Are you okay?” His voice raised her from her haze, calm and collected like always. She nodded, wrapping her arm around his. Smiling, he kissed her cheek. “Just making sure. Are you ready for this?” He nods, gesturing to the elevator doors, now beeping to signal their arrival to their designated floor. All she could do was throw a thumbs-up, following him out into the hall a couple steps behind - just to be sure. They reached their room, seeing the rest of the cast and crew seated behind the foggy glass. Before they could open it, Rey reached out to grab his arm – stopping him in his tracks.

“Can I ask a question?” She said, her words speaking before her mind allowed them too. Ben nodded slowly, unsure of what she was going to say next. Coughing, Rey cleared her throat. _God_ , he made her squirm without even touching her – like it was some super power only he had. She finally worked up the nerve to look at him, their eyes molding together.

“When you say we’re ‘just having sex’, is that all you want? Because if it is that’s okay, I was just wondering because I wasn’t sure where we stood and I-”

Before she could finish, Poe threw the door open, the people cheering at the sight of their arrival. There was confusion from some at the sight of them arriving together, although Jannah said nothing, smirking at Rey from her seat. They all took their collective spots, Poe flipping the first page open to begin- also known as Rey’s que to tune out. She flipped through the pages, her chin resting on her knuckles. Jannah elbowed her, pointing to the cellphone between the two of them. She mouthed _“text me!”_ Rey took a quick look around to make sure no one was looking before unlocking her phone.

**Rey** : yes?

 **Jannah** : So, when were you going to tell me?

 **Rey** : ...about?

 **Jannah** : You’re wearing his sweater don’t play dumb. Did you not get my texts yesterday?

 **Rey** : I did. I’m sorry i didn’t reach out sooner - so much was going on.

 **Jannah** : You banged the man all day? I respect.

 **Rey** : Jan can we NOT do this now!

 **Jannah** : So, how was it?

 **Rey** : OH MY GOD we are not doing this. I need to focus. 

**Jannah** : Right…. focus. By focus you mean get lost in his eyes, right? 

**Rey** : Can we do this later please?

 **Jannah** : I’ll wait...but not for long. I know your room number!

Rey slammed the phone down, the group’s eyes raising to glance at her. She smiled, shrugging them off before returning to their place in the script. They advanced 20 pages, Rey not paying much attention to what was going on until she felt her phone vibrate. She glared at Jannah, her friend waving her hands to show that it wasn’t her. Rey glanced at Ben, his eyes floating between her and the phone. She nodded at him to ask if he wanted her to check, trying to keep it small to not distract others. He threw a small thumbs-up, Rey giggling softly at the exchange. 

She unlocked her phone, a message from Ben being the first thing to pop up.

  
**Ben** : We can tell Zorri anything you want - I’m all yours.


	9. A Month

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month has passed, and our favorite couple haven't seen each other since the table read. Filming is crazy and they're both so busy - let's hope they can make time for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys it has been so long - almost 2 weeks, I think. I'm so sorry - so much has been going on in my life, I had to take a step back. Thank you for being patient. This is a small little preview before the BIG OL' chapter coming tonight. Thank you, again. I love you all. 
> 
> PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE TEXT FIC/SOCIAL MEDIA updates that are attached to the story thread on my twitter. That's how this all makes sense! Here's the link! : https://twitter.com/lovingdriver/status/1228790534275313667?s=20
> 
> Or you can look up @lovingdriver on twitter- it's the pinned tweet!
> 
> thanks guys!

It had been a month since Rey had got Ben alone.

Things were going so well, and it looked like they had the same idea as to what they were to each other, but once table reads finished; they were lucky to be in the vicinity as each other, let alone the same room. Filming was on full steam ahead, and while Rey was ecstatic to see her writing unfold before her eyes, she _missed_ him, and the feeling sucked. Really bad.

“Don’t forget your notes – I’m tired of having to run back here and grab them for you!” Jannah called, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “And I’m grabbing coffee on the way, so I’ll grab you that cinnamon latte you like so much. Sound good?” The lack of sleep flooding Rey’s eyes screamed _yes_ , the sound of caffeine practically lighting her skin on fire. “Thank you, Jan. I appreciate it – do you know what’s on the call sheet today?” Even the slight idea of _seeing_ Ben felt better than remaining hopeless. They needed to talk, or something. She just needed to know that he still wanted her as much as she wanted him.

“Let’s see,” she starts, flipping through her stacked notebook with a furrowed eyebrow. “Ah, okay. Looks like we’re going back in time a little, focusing more on the start of their relationship. We’re filming a lot with Zorri and Holdo today, however we’re also filming the first kiss between Ben and Zorri as well.” At the sound of his name, Rey perked up. He’d be with her today – standing in front of her face. The vision made her smile, her mood immediately perking up. “Well, should we head out? I’ll see you on set?” Jan, knowing full well why her friend was so jittery suddenly, nodded her head with a smirk. “Yup – I’ll see you there.”

* * *

The day dragged on, and Rey’s patience was slowly dying. They’d been following Zorri, who still had absolutely no idea what was going on between her and Ben, all day long. She blabbed on about spring fashion and how ‘yummy’ Ben looked in the leather jacket they selected for Spencer – something Rey already knew because she picked the jacket out herself. Zorri was sweet and kind but spending more than 2 hours with her was slightly emotionally draining. Jannah checked out hours ago, only looking up from her phone when someone snapped in her face to get her attention. Rey sighed, hoping Ben would come sweeping in and end this lull.

“The man of the hour!” Zorri cheered, her neck craning to catch him as he entered the building. Rey’s knees locked at the sight of him, clad in that damn leather jacket and those black jeans. He looked exactly as Rey had envisioned, her heart slamming against her rib cage as a sign of approval. He wasn’t paying much attention either, typing away on his phone as he stopped in front of her. Eventually, he dropped his phone in his back pocket – throwing a week smile at Zorri. The blush on her face deepened, angering Rey for some reason.

It took a moment for his eyes to land on her’s. Rey assumed he thought she wasn’t coming to set today, so the idea of running into each other seemed impossible. However, Rey would pay all the money she had to see the way his eyes latched onto her’s again – how his face moved from boredom to joy, or how his from twisted into that beautiful smile she craved so much. No one seemed to notice, but it was as if the world had stopped spinning just for a second – and it was just them alone – the way she hoped it would be.

Rey snapped out of it, advancing over to Ben with the best professional face she could muster. “Hi Ben. Long time no see – how are you?” He nods, opening his arms for a soft hug just as the cast normally did with the crew. “I’m great, Rey. I trust you’re pleased with my scenes so far?” And she was – extremely. Ben was a lot of things, but talented deserved the top slot on the list. There was something about the way he carried himself on camera that could make anyone fall flat. He knew how to work an audience, and he brought nothing less than perfection to the table for Spencer, a feat she wasn’t sure how to thank him for.

“Yes, your work is amazing. I really don’t know how to thank you for it.” Rey gritted her teeth, her brain producing images of the _hundreds_ of methods she could use to show her gratitude – none of them being acceptable for the setting they were in. Ben seemed to notice, his hands clasping behind his back and he leaned forward slightly, his frame towering over her’s.

“I’m sure we can come up with a few ways, right baby?” His voice came out like silk, washing over her until it coated her skin. Everything he said sounded delightful coming from his mouth, a compliment Rey was sure he already knew. She looked around, her eyes darting from person to person – hoping no one caught their exchange. Everyone was to absorbed in their own affairs, calming her as she whispered back:

“I haven’t seen you in so long. How have you been?” It was a question she honestly wanted him to answer – if he wasn’t okay, she hoped that he felt comfortable enough to share. He nodded, smiling softly at her concern. “I’m fine, and I’m so sorry I haven’t been around much. You’ve just been so busy, and every time I need you – I see you with Jan working. But every time you’re free, I’m working on my scenes. Plus, Hux was in town for a bit so that didn’t help.” He rolled his eyes, earning a quiet giggle from her.

_‘Every time I need you …”_

Rey couldn’t help but bubble inside after hearing him say that, such a small comment but it was enough to reassure her. She wanted to make sure he knew how much she wanted him as well – how badly she missed him.

“What are you doing tonight? There has to be wiggle room, right?” He sighed, kicking his feet to the floor. “I was going to rehearse my scenes for tomorrow.” His voice came out sheepish, something Rey wasn’t quite used to. “Okay, well let me help you. If there’s anyone you _want_ to, it should be me – I wrote the damn thing.” They laughed together, their bodies coming closer without even trying. Brushing his hair back on his forehead, Ben let out a small cough. “I want you to – it’s just, I’m going over that huge sex scene. We’re doing it first thing tomorrow and I want to make sure I have to blocking down, so It doesn’t take forever to film.”

Rey knew in that moment what she had to do – a devious smirk crossing her lips. Ben raised an eyebrow, shocked at how quickly her face changed. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

_If only he knew._

“Let me come help you block it. I promise – I’ll make it worth your while.” It looked as though the air had been sucked from his chest, a smirk to match her’s forming on his mouth. “I have no doubt of that, I promise.” Before she could respond, the bell rang signaling that all the actors needed to head to stage. He squeezed her hand softly before running over to Zorri, taking their spot in the set the props team so beautifully set up.

This scene was pivotal, which meant the setting of it was equally as important. Spencer breaks into Carson’s office after hours, desperate to see her – Carson is mad at first, of course, but doesn’t argue after Spencer dashes across the room and kisses her full force. It was one of Rey’s favorite scenes in the story, truly – and while she was excited to see it play out, the thought of watching Ben kiss Zorri was not something she was looking forward too.

 _Action_ was called, and with that – Zorri entered Carson mode, her demeanor quickly shifting into a more serious, professional tone. She typed away at a computer while the camera caught her, the frame shifting up slightly as Ben, or Spencer, stomped into the room. She sat up from her chair quickly, throwing her pen on the table in irritation.

“What the fuck are you doing here? You can’t just break in here – you know I could call the cops right now, right? This isn’t just some place you can come and go to when you’re bored – and I am not that girl. There is no place for you here!” She continued to shout, flailing her arms around while the camera wrapped around Ben, his long legs charging him across the room, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her deeply – a sight Rey wasn’t exactly ready for.

Zorri held her own, her hands finding purchase on the back of Ben’s neck just as Rey’s did weeks prior. He picked her up, setting her down on the desk. The way he stood in between her legs made Rey’s skin crawl – something Jannah noticed, her hand coming out to stroke her friend’s back in soothing circles. Rey thanked her quietly, but her eyes were still trained on Ben.

Eventually – he pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other’s, exchanging gasping breaths before one of the other producers yelled “and, CUT!” Ben stepped back, wiping the lipstick she left behind from his mouth. They exchanged compliments, thanking each other for a great scene. Zorri’s head of wardrobe came over, whisking her away to change outfits. Things moved so quickly around here, Rey wasn’t even sure if she’d get the chance to see him before someone came and grabbed him. However, he managed a second – stopping beside her.

“Great kiss,” Rey muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. “How was it?”

Ben chuckled, allowing the laugh to reverberate now that they seemed to be alone – except for Jan, of course, who remained tucked in by the camera. “Fine. Though it did help to imagine that It was you I was kissing – that it was your mouth on mine, and your body I was holding.” Her cheeks flashed red, all power she assumed she had dissipating every time he opened his mouth.

She really couldn’t help herself – her arm reached up to wrap around his neck, pulling him in for a soft kiss. He returned it, holding her steady by her hips. Of how she craved him – the taste of his lips on her’s. They were both desperate for each other, grasping strongly in hopes that the moment would never end. But of course, it did – Ben pulled away, signaling with his head that he had to catch his next scene. He kissed her forehead before ducking out, leaving Rey with a hyped-up Jannah who wanted every detail of what was going on between them.

Rey thought they were alone – but nothing is ever as it seems. As she was divulging every detail of her and Ben’s romantic escapades, a fuming Zorri stood in the doorway, hoping to catch a moment with the writer for some notes, but instead was met with disappointment.

She flipped her body, charging back into her changing room – red faced and ready to raise hell.


End file.
